The Memory Remains
by miss koneko
Summary: Sequel to 'Sweet Dreams'. Mai knows Naru's secret, but does the rest of SPR? Familiar faces can sometimes hide the darkest of pasts... Naru/Mai
1. Face in a Crowd

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, I wouldn't have to imagine how cool it would be to own it…

WARNING Contains Spoilers.

**A/N: If you haven't read 'Sweet Dreams', I would recommend reading that story first before reading this one, as it is a sequel. Don't say I didn't warn you!**

Chapter 1: Face in a Crowd

The third-year president of Ryokuryou High School's student council stood at five foot, ten inches, with hair the colour of charcoal and deceptively jovial brown eyes that hid behind steel-rimmed glasses. Osamu Yasuhara's fellow students often referred to him as 'old man' due to his air of maturity and the ever-calm, kind smile that disarmed the unaware, but those who encountered him learnt quickly of his sharp wit. Very little evaded the young man's notice, which was why his jaw didn't drop at the suggestive undertone the director of SPR's (Shibuya Psychic Research) request for tea carried, expressly for the benefit of a certain Mai Taniyama. The auburn haired, cinnamon eyed, open-hearted female seemed in every way her boss's opposite, but it had only been a matter of time before the brooding seventeen year old Kazuya Shibuya (or as Mai had nicknamed him, 'Naru') revealed an interest in his part-time assistant; Yasuhara just hadn't known how or when.

What _had _surprised S.P.R.'s latest visitor and occasional crew member was the lack of reaction from the monk, miko and catholic priest which often worked in conjunction with the paranormal researchers, who had also decided to drop by. It was fair enough that Lin, Naru's right hand man, remained unresponsive as he tended to mind his own business, but Takigawa (commonly known as 'Bou-san') and Ayako Matsuzaki were another matter altogether. The tawny blonde monk viewed Mai like a younger sister, and despite the occasional barbs the two women threw at each other, Ayako had a tendency to act the mother hen where the part-timer was concerned. Under normal circumstances, there was _no way _either of them would let such an interesting development between their comrades slide. So far, the awkward expression on the exorcist's face was the only typical reaction he had witnessed, as Lin seemed to be holding back a smirk and the often bickering monk and miko not only left Mai and Naru to their own devices, but kept shooting tender glances at each other, rather than insults.

_Well, I suppose _that_ development isn't really a surprise either, but just what happened while I was preparing for the school's festival?_

He looked at John, currently trying to avoid eye contact with the majority of his teammates, and pushed his glasses further up the bridge of his nose, a calculating grin forming as his target came into range. The Australian priest blinked warily back at him for a moment, having come to know that look all too well.

"So," Yasuhara declared as he cornered his latest victim, "What have I missed?"

-x-

"Are you going to tell them?" Mai asked quietly, setting down the tea he had requested on the desktop. Although he could not see her face clearly in the reflection, Naru knew she was surprised to see him staring out of the window, rather than sitting at his desk with his 'nose stuck in their latest case file', as she so elegantly put it.

"Tell them what?" Naru smirked; indicating towards the chatter coming from S.P.R.'s lounge as he laced his fingers with Mai's and pulled the spirited female into his grasp before she had time to reprimand him, "I think they've already come to their own conclusions about our relationship…"

Mai flushed, fully aware that he was goading her.

"That's not what I meant, and you know it." She dismissed, pushing her point.

"Even if you don't tell the others who you are, at least ask them for help looking for your brother." Her eyes softened as she spoke, and Naru sighed before returning his gaze back to the window. It wasn't that easy. What was he supposed to tell them? 'Hi guys, my twin was dumped in a lake somewhere and I'm searching for his body. Oh, and I've been lying to you since we met - my real name's Oliver Davis - you know, that famous professor Takigawa admires so much?' Ridiculous.

For the time being, the black-clad teen pushed his current set of worries aside, choosing instead to focus on the problem that had been dogging him for the last two years. No matter what, he must find Gene's body. Mai's ability to contact his brother through her dreams was unpredictable, but it was the best lead he and Lin had discovered since they left England. Gradually examining every lake in Japan had accomplished little so far, save the mere process of elimination.

"Have you had any more dreams?"

The auburn-haired girl shook her head, her involuntary shudder causing Naru to frown worriedly as both recalled her recent vision. His brother's death was not the kind of memory he preferred they share, and seeing Mai's lively form racked with sobs as she woke all but ripped his heart out.

_Thank God she wasn't alone at the time…_

"Not since I was sick, no. I've been talking to Lin about it, and he's suggested I stay the night to see if my proximity to you is the key."

Naru nodded, trying to steer his thoughts away from the helplessness he had felt when Mai choked out what she had seen against his chest; the same vision he had witnessed as his hands grasped the material of a shirt he had planned to borrow in Gene's absence. If Mai tried to contact his brother again, would she be confronted with more brutal images? Feel the tires of the car back over her once more to ensure that she was dead, her fragile body tossed carelessly into the boot of the vehicle as the assailant searched frantically for a place to hide their fears?

He had inflicted such horrors on her without thought, yet she still fought to help him; the least he could do was be there when she woke up, and the young man couldn't help but wonder if that was part of the reason Lin had asked her to stay. Of course, the theory behind the invitation was sound; Mai tended to experience supernatural dreams whenever S.P.R. took on a new case and their closer sleeping arrangements could not be ruled out as a factor, especially after her last vision had occurred at the apartment he and the Chinese mage shared. The other major factor however, was danger, but he'd be dammed if he used Mai as bait - it was hard enough to keep her safe as it was. Although Naru wished his brother had been able to move on, a part of him almost felt relived that Gene had been looking out for his troublesome assistant.

"I'll get the spare bed set up for you again. Do you need to go home first?" The dark youth felt a grin pull at the corners of his lips at Mai's reply, taking in her flushed features with a possessive sense of pleasure. She was _his_. She loved _him_; not Lin, not his kinder, gentler brother (never mind that he was a ghost), or anyone else for that matter.

_Mine…_

"Uh, no…I think I left a change of clothes behind after our 'little trip' out in the rain." Her cinnamon eyes danced with glee as she added, "Who could've guessed that Lin-san would make such a good nurse…"

"Speak for yourself. I think he just has a soft spot for you."

It wouldn't have mattered if his Chinese guardian _hadn't _still been moderately peeved with him for upsetting Mai to the point that she had run out into a brewing storm without so much as a jacket; there was no way Lin would have pampered him to the extent that Mai had been. For a guy who held such a firm grudge against the Japanese, there were times when the older man certainly didn't show it.

In his own defence, Naru argued to himself that he had gone out to rescue the fleeing school girl, earning him an equal share in the cold Mai had caught as a result. That had to count for _something_, right?

Letting his gaze linger on the smiling face of the young woman still caught in his grasp, Naru quickly came to the conclusion that his actions certainly had counted for a little more than 'something'. In fact, he didn't think he deserved the magnitude of his reward in the slightest, but that wasn't going to stop him from fully enjoying his good fortune. Tilting Mai's face up to meet his, Naru gently pressed his lips against hers, savouring the softness of her skin as she allowed her body to relax against his own. The tender moment was interrupted however, by the rumbling of his assistant's stomach.

"Hungry?" He smirked down at her before glancing at the clock. It was about time they ate lunch, and he had been meaning to pick up a book that had finally arrived for him in the bookshop a few blocks over.

_May as well kill two birds with one stone…_

Offering little explanation, Naru disentangled himself from the young woman and grabbed his coat before motioning for Mai to follow him. Curiosity prompted her to do as asked, not altogether surprised when her boss announced to Lin that they would be going out for a while, but she shot an apologetic glance at S.P.R.'s guests just the same. A round of understanding smiles replied her, and Mai hurried after the man she loved without guilt.

Naru was not under any circumstances what one might call talkative, but as they walked the cheerful teen somehow managed to coax conversation out of him anyway. He wouldn't tell her anything about their destination (other than the fact that they served 'good tea'), but when they had paused at the bookstore, a quirked eyebrow was followed by a brief explanation of his purchase's subject.

"…It's a study on the merits of memories believed to be born from reincarnation." Naru offered, "I respect the author's scientific approach to the subject, even if some of my own conclusions differ from his…"

A muffled giggle escaped Mai's lips, earning her a trivial glare from his dark blue eyes, the message held within them clear.

_You_ did_ ask._

"I'm sorry," she amended, smile unfazed by her boss's somewhat put out expression, "But something like that is what you'd consider 'light reading', isn't it? It's the same way my friends from school would normally feel about reading a romance novel."

He grimaced at the thought, causing Mai to clutch her sides in laughter at the mental imagery of him completely wrapped up in a shoujo manga or sappy paperback. Noting how awkward he looked, she added cheekily, "Relax, if I wanted my life to be normal, I never would have gotten involved with you in the first place."

He supposed that her teasing could be perceived as a backhanded complement, and considering all the times he had done the same to her (and worse), it was probably about time the auburn-haired girl got some of her own back. Not that Naru planned on _letting_ Mai get the better of him – he'd been about to retort when a peculiar feeling of being watched caused his witty remark to die on his lips. Navy eyes briefly surveying the crowd, his attention was drawn to a woman in her early thirties, a wild, panicked expression on her face degenerating into something akin to horror as their gazes locked.

The bottle blonde looked eerily familiar for some reason, and from her reaction to his glare, Naru briefly wondered if she had been one of the clients he had managed to scare away last week. Due to his self-enforced lack of sleep and moodiness at the time, his memories of those few days were somewhat of a blur, and Lin had informed him once he had regained some form of sanity that if he pulled such a stunt again, his previous mentor Madoka would be shown a certain photograph of a certain sleeping narcissist curled up rather suggestively with a similarly snoozing Mai. If the woman got a hold of the picture, he was guaranteed several inquisitive phone calls from his parents at the very least, if not an impromptu visit from both them and his teacher, never mind the fact that they lived in Britain. An ocean in between your relatives might normally be considered a safe distance, but Naru knew better. The couple would be thrilled to bits that their adopted son's cool attitude might have thawed, even to the slightest extent – nothing on the planet would stop them from interfering with his personal life once given the chance. Naru supposed it was a reality he was going to have to face sooner or later, but at this particular moment in time he was content to wait until 'later'.

Realising that the staring woman had disappeared from sight, Naru shook his head in dismissal and continued down the street to catch up with Mai, who had begun shooting him worried looks.

"Since you're the one leading the way, what am I supposed to do when you suddenly stop in the middle of the sidewalk?"

"Wait for me." Naru replied logically, hiding a grin as she fumed silently. He would most likely pay for it later, but she was just so_ cute_ when she was mad.

-x-

It wasn't the first time she had seen him, the woman admitted silently. She had seen his dark form pass by her many times in crowds, each time convincing herself that it was merely her own fears creating his pale image. Perhaps it had merely been a man _dressed_ like him – many kids these days seemed to like the gothic look – in fact, if it weren't for the way he had turned to meet her gaze, Cho might have been able to dismiss what she had seen once again.

It just _wasn't_ possible, she repeated in her mind over and over again as she stared at the stark figure standing perfectly still, unfazed amongst a sea of shoppers.

_I'm either going mad or…_

The second alternative that occurred to the woman terrified her far more than the first. Madness could almost been seen as a blessing in disguise, but _this_..? He had come to make her pay, just as she had always feared he would.

Willing her numb body to move, Cho fled for her life.

-x-

_**Omake:**_

"Uh, no…I think I left a change of clothes behind after our 'little trip' out in the rain." Her cinnamon eyes danced with glee as she added, "Who would've thought you'd make such a good nurse?"

"It was only because of the fever, I assure you." Naru countered firmly, refusing to see what the giggling girl found so funny, "I'm _never_ wearing that outfit again."

Lost in convulsions of laughter, Mai barely managed to catch her boss add one further compliant under his breath.

"…So uncomfortable…"

* * *

**A/N: I realise that the summary for this story may not entirely make sense yet, but it should by the end of the second chapter. Also, just wanted to apologise for not replying to all my reviews for the last chapter of 'Sweet Dreams'. I got a little depressed and by the time I pulled myself together I figured most people would've forgotten what they'd said anyway.**

**The answer to the chapter title challenge was supposed to be 'Nine-Tenths of the Law', because I'd taken the name from a saying rather than a movie, TV show or song title, but I found out later that there was a movie made in 1918 with the same name. This being the case, 'Crawling in My Skin' becomes the only odd one out, because it was taken from a line in the song, not simply it's title. If you guessed either, congrats! Sorry for the mix up.**


	2. No One Knows

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, my mind might be more accustomed to the rampant explosions of wandering plot bunnies…

WARNING Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 2: No One Knows

The blonde, blue-eyed exorcist had felt moderately uncomfortable in S.P.R.'s office even before Yasuhara had begun interrogating him about the events of the past few weeks, but since Lin had returned to his room shortly after Mai and Naru had taken their leave, his presence seemed all the more superfluous. Watching the typically arguing monk and miko whisper sweet nothings to each other was becoming increasingly unnerving, as was the cunning gleam in his inquisitor's eyes - fortunately, they were no longer aimed in_ his_ direction, but John knew how much the young man loved to tease Takigawa and figured it was best to take his leave before things got out of hand.

Excusing himself, the priest was surprised when the charcoal-haired youth opted to join him, guessing that he either wanted more information, or didn't wish to be the only other person in the room with the eerily affectionate couple. The gleam in Yasuhara's eyes appeared to dissipate when they stepped out into the sun, earning a sigh of relief from John's lips as he spied a familiar brunette making her way towards the base of S.P.R.'s stairs.

"Maeda-san!" The blonde exclaimed, "Were you hoping to talk to Mai? I'm afraid she and Naru just left…"

"Ah. T-that's okay – I'll catch up with her another time." The girl answered with a forced smile, catching the priest off guard. While she had been under a great deal of stress when they first met, once the case had been solved, the teen had come out of her shell quite spectacularly. It was obvious that something was troubling her, but Haruka's reserved body language screamed that she wasn't ready to talk about it.

"Actually, I was just about to head for the Library – my grades suffered during the haunting, and mum will have my head if she sees another report card like the last one."

_Ah…_

John had to admit that he'd had his own problems concerning parental expectations, and an argument with loved ones always left a bad taste in a person's mouth. He'd been about to offer some words of encouragement when his unpredictable companion made his presence known.

"I could tutor you, if you like."

John hesitated to look at his team-mate, as if having developed a sixth sense for the high school student's antic of sliding his spectacles further up the bridge of his nose, the flash of sunlight glinting across the lenses announcing the return of 'the gleam'. John offered up a silent prayer for the girl, wondering for a moment how well Haruka might hold her own in a battle of wits – even if her grades had fallen recently, the girl's sharp observational skills could not be questioned. Even Lin had seemed impressed.

"My name is Osamu Yasuhara," The boy announced, holding out a hand in greeting, "and you are Haruka Maeda-san, correct?"

She took his hand and shook it warily, nodding in affirmation.

"I help out S.P.R. on occasion." Yasuhara explained, sensing her distrust and slight confusion, "John-san was just filling me in on the details of the last case, although he failed to mention how attractive you are…"

Haruka's flustered blush told John that now might be a good time to be on his way, and this time when he bid the couple goodbye, no one exhibited a need to protest or follow.

-x-

Dark steel eyes narrowed in annoyance as they examined their reflection, cataloguing each immaculate detail - her porcelain skin was delicate and soft to the touch, face framed by sleek, shoulder-length black hair that always fell perfectly in place, the elegant kimono she wore accentuating her natural grace and style. Masako's intellect was as sharp as her manner was feminine, and her title as the number one medium in Japan was hard earned, not merely for the sake of her celebrity status. What was _not_ to like?

Yet Naru seemed to prefer Mai; a nomad of a girl who wore her heart on her sleeve and seemed to spend more time arguing with him than not. Her rival claimed that the only special treatment she received was purely negative, insisting that S.P.R.'s director merely enjoyed picking on her the most, but Masako suspected otherwise. Even if Mai was too dense to realise the implications Naru's teasing held, it was becoming more and more evident to the medium that she was fighting a loosing battle.

The last 'date' she convinced the dark youth to accompany her on had not gone well to say the least, and Masako got the distinct impression that his thoughts had not left Mai since running into the auburn-haired girl on the way out of the office. Her arm had been linked with his as the part-timer swept past her boss in panic, no doubt hurt by seeing the two of them together. Unaware of the tensing of Naru's limbs as she inadvertently brushed against him, Mai never saw the hardened expression Naru wore as Lin's office door was closed behind her - only Masako had seen, felt the change in him, and been left behind.

Out of habit, a kimono sleeve lifted to cover the medium's discontent, only her flashing eyes betraying the young woman's schooled appearance.

_If it were not for my busy schedule, I would __already have...!_

Her thoughts came to an abrupt halt – what exactly did she hope to accomplish? Did she really _want_ to learn just how close Mai and Naru had become in her absence? Since Mai, _not_ Naru, had been the one to answer her last phone call, Masako knew something significant must have occurred between the two. It wasn't as if she had phoned the office after all – his mobile was the number she had rung, and to her knowledge, Naru always kept it on him. Though oddly enough, Lin had been the one to intervene before she had been able to grill Mai for information, informing her that the person she sought was 'currently unavailable'. He'd offered to take a message, but Masako knew Naru would most likely ignore it unless he actually had to deal with her personally.

As depressing as her final admission was, she wasn't prepared to let go just yet. What if it was merely a misunderstanding and she still had a chance to convince Naru how right they were for each other? Could she forgive herself if she looked back, years from now, and wondered what might have happened if she had chosen _not_ to give up?

-x-

A light knock on Naru's office door caused the corner of his mouth to twitch upwards in anticipation and he kept silent, waiting for Mai to take the initiative and walk in on him regardless of whether she was interrupting or not. Quelling the grin that threatened to emerge when the part-timer fulfilled his expectations, Naru barely looked up as he took the files she held out for him.

"What do you think of them?"

Mai looked taken aback, as if she were tempted to glance behind her, just to make sure he hadn't been talking to someone else.

"You're asking _me_?" She stuttered in disbelief, causing the young man watching her to raise an eyebrow – surely his question couldn't be _that_ unexpected. It wasn't the first time he had listened to or acted on her input, although he supposed that he rarely went to the trouble of asking for it. Mai tended to tell him what she thought whether he liked it or not.

"I don't believe there is anyone else in the room aside from the two of us," He drew out slowly, as if contemplating her question seriously, "So I would assume that I was asking you."

"Why you -" Mai began, undoubtedly about to say something unfavourable about his character when he smiled, effectively disarming her. Although, he did hear her mumble something under her breath about not always 'being able to get away with it, just because he was handsome' – Naru made a mental note to reward her for the compliment later.

"If your link with Gene can provide us with a location, Lin and I will be away from the office for a few days." He explained, "I want you to check S.P.R.'s messages while we're gone and report to me if there are any relevant cases."

"So basically, you want to know if my version of 'relevant' matches your's?" Mai's shoulders seemed to sag for a moment, and Naru realised that she had avoided eye contact with him as she spoke. Was she upset at being left behind, or had he inadvertently offended her? In all honesty, he hadn't meant to – it was one thing to tease her, but seeing Mai depressed and knowing he was to blame was something he would prefer not to have on his conscience. If nothing else, the rest of S.P.R.'s members would instantly know who was responsible and do everything in their power to make sure he felt bad about it.

Unfortunately, Mai must have mistaken his thoughtful observation of her for impatience, and she spat out irritably, "…Fine! I think the most interesting case is the woman who contacted us about being unable to sleep for several years. She's consulted doctors as well as psychologists, and so far, no one has been able to help her. Since the trigger seems to be her mother's death, she's decided to explore other possibilities, but I'm sure you'd agree with the general opinion that trauma is the most likely cause." Mai took in a quick breath of air, pausing to sort out her thoughts before continuing, aggression fading as she became lost in her answer.

"Aside from that, I think the girl who collapsed in the bathroom after playing 'Bloody Mary' is the only other case worth taking – she's been in a coma for a few days now, and the mirror in front of her was smashed when she was found. No other strange incidents have been reported though…"

Naru nodded, glancing briefly at the files she had given him. A few held possibilities, but there didn't seem to be enough activity to suggest an actual haunting.

"…Thank you."

The blush that flamed across Mai's cheeks at the simple phrase was priceless, her cinnamon eyes wide as they flew to meet his, a trace of her earlier annoyance returning momentarily before her gaze darted away once more.

"I-I'll go make you some tea…"

-x-

He was an enigma, Mai decided as she watched the kettle boil, wondering one moment how on earth she had fallen for such an irritating man, and the next thinking that there was no way she _couldn't_ have. It was a little odd, learning to adjust to the mixture of the logical, workaholic side of Naru that she'd been used to dealing with for the last year and the man who smiled and tenderly kissed her in between the teasing.

It hurt though – that he'd felt the need to call her judgement to question. Didn't he trust her? Would unnecessary phone calls from his_ girlfriend_ bother him?

The kettle had begun squealing, but Mai still stood there, oblivious to it's cry until a voice from behind alerted her to something else she had missed.

"I was planning on waiting until you noticed me on your own, but if even _that_ noise can't reach you..."

His lean, black-clad form was leaning up against the doorframe, arms crossed as he watched her with veiled concern.

"Na-Naru!" She cried, fumbling for the kettle's handle to pour the tea she'd promised, but he strode over and stilled her hands, covering them with his own.

"Idiot, you'll burn yourself."

Mai blushed as she felt her boss's whispered reprimand on the nape of her neck, continuing to avoid his gaze as he turned her to face him.

"I-I'm sorry, I wasn't concentrating…" Mai attempted to laugh off her awkward excuse, but Naru would have none of it.

"That much is obvious, but you're not telling me what I want to know." She looked up at him this time, startled by the serious expression he wore.

"What..." Mai breathed tentatively, "What do you want to know?"

"I assume you are upset because of something I said. I'd like an explanation as to why."

Something about the way his words were phrased put steel in the auburn-haired girl's spine, and she replied stubbornly, "Sorry to disappoint you, but there's nothing to explain. I'm fine."

His eyes searched hers for some kind of proof she was lying, but Mai refused to back down. Their silent stand off continued until Naru eventually conceded, a small sigh of frustration escaping his lips as he began to walk away. Pain ripped through Mai's soul at the sight, dreading the thought of loosing the bond that had only recently tightened between them.

_What am I_ _doing?!_

Subconsciously, her hand reached out and latched on to the closest part of him; the cuff of one of his sleeves.

"Okay! You're right – I'm _not_ fine…" She admitted, fingertips slipping from the fabric of his shirt, hoping with all her heart that Naru's lack of movement meant that he planned to hear her out, though he had yet to face her.

"I'm sure this will sound silly to you, but when you asked me for my opinion I…" Mai's voice caught in her throat and she fell silent, trying to figure out how to put her confused feelings into words.

"Yes..?" Naru prompted, finally turning back to take in her troubled appearance, his expression unreadable. Mai hung her head, wishing that she hadn't brought so much attention to what had started as such a small, now seemingly insignificant insecurity.

"I was happy that you wanted to know what I thought, but then you told me _why_." She saw his eyebrows quirk upwards momentarily, the flash of bewilderment he displayed bolstering her courage. Perhaps being a genius didn't automatically mean you were good at _everything_ - for all he could read her, Naru had certainly been clueless when it came down to the matter of who she loved.

"I felt like you didn't trust me; that you didn't want to hear from me unless you _had _to…"

…_That was why I was upset._

If the deep-seeded frown that spread across his face at the suggestion wasn't enough to quell her doubts, Naru moved towards her, bringing his head down to Mai's level as he rested his hands on the bench either side of her, scolding her softly, "Whatever am I going to do with you…"

Her boss's sudden close proximity caused the part-timer's breath to hitch as she found herself staring into amused navy eyes, the smirk accompanying them informing Mai that her boyfriend had a fairly good idea of what he could 'do with her'. His warm lips captured hers, exploring fingers leaving her flesh tingling as he strove to prove his point. Flushing furiously, Mai's glance darted towards the open door.

"W-what if somebody _sees_ us?!"

Naru pulled her eyes back to meet his, murmuring huskily in a language she could not understand. He'd inadvertently discovered that doing so seemed to have an interesting effect on the young woman trapped in his arms, and had been waiting for the right moment to test if his theory proved correct.

"**I've h****eard the fear of being caught merely heightens the sensation…"**

The foreign sounds flowing easily from his lips were like a drug to the girl's senses; her breath beginning to quicken as the hazy feeling gripped her body, making it harder to satisfy her lung's persistent cry for air. Every time she breathed, it was as though what she had inhaled was almost immediately stolen from her, and Mai found herself leaning on Naru's chest for support.

"That's not fair," She whispered shakily, "You know I only understand a few phrases of English!"

"Well, maybe this will prompt you to learn more. After all," The ghost hunter teased as he left a trail of maddening kisses from her collar bone to her neck, pausing just behind her ear, "I could be saying_ anything_."

A begging moan interrupted her intended retort upon Mai's rapid discovery that Naru had managed to slip one of his hands under her shirt while she'd been distracted by what he'd been doing to the nape of her neck, and for an instant it occurred to her that it was unfair that she seemed to be the one most affected in this situation. She wanted to see _him_ panting, moaning for more!

A door in S.P.R.'s reception room swung softly closed, the sound bringing the two teens to a startled halt, their motions freezing in place as Mai shot her boss an accusing look that clearly read, 'I told you so'. His reaction less than thrilled her, for he merely smirked, boldly running a finger across the inside of her thigh and watching in amusement as she fought to muffle a gasp of pleasure.

_Jerk!_

Hoping that no one had heard the noise she made, Mai glared at him, mood not improved by his whispered suggestion that she 'might want to make herself more presentable before seeing to their guest', prior to striding out of the kitchen as if nothing had happened. Swearing revenge, Mai took the opportunity to glance down at her clothes – her skirt was twisted slightly to one side and obviously crooked, while her rumbled shirt revealed tell-tale signs of just where the young man's hand had explored, the reality of what they might have ended up doing beginning to sink in at the sight.

_Am I…_ready_ for something like that?_

-x-

Escaping work at the earliest opportunity, the popular T.V. medium was not entirely surprised to find S.P.R.'s front desk unattended, but when Naru's office also proved empty, even knocking on Lin's door to find answers proved a tempting possibility. She was debating what to do next when a muffled squeak from the kitchen caused Masako's eyes to narrow in suspicion, her mind quickly putting two and two together as Naru emerged from behind the folding screen concealing it's entrance.

"Did you want something, Hara-san?"

True to her usual form, Masako raised the sleeve of her kimono, covering her unfavourable expression as she replied simply, "It can wait. You seem a little busy."

There was a carefully crafted pause before the last word she spoke, her emphasis holding a clear double meaning. Impassive mask firmly in place, Naru said nothing, letting the jealous female come to her own conclusions.

"Does she even know your _name_?!" Masako bit out rashly, regretting the words as soon as they passed her lips, eyes widening as her rival's voice burst through the tense air.

"Ma-Masako knows, too?"

He had told her. Naru had actually _told_ her. The kimono-clad teen reeled in shock at the news; she had merely recognised him from a recording of one of his experiments, he had never seen fit to willingly confide in her. It was too much to take – even the flicker of pain in Mai's eyes as the part-timer realised she was not the first of their group to have learned their boss's secret brought no satisfaction, but Masako's pride bade her keep face.

"I think it would be best if I spoke to you at a more convenient time." The medium managed numbly as she left, her words spoken with a level of composure she did not feel.

"Good bye, Davis-san."

-x-

Her fingers were shaking uncontrollably; perhaps that was why people kept staring at her as she blindly found her way home. She had tried so hard to ignore it, the many times she had seen him. Why was this time any different?

…_Because he has come for me._

Somehow, deep within her, Cho knew it was true. Even if she were proven mad, she would still hold to the truth of those eyes –the way they seemed to see straight through her, rather than looking _at_ her.

In fear she had fled, and in fear she now hid; huddled in a couch she had dragged to the point directly in between the entrance to the kitchen and the middle of the lounge room, providing the best visibility throughout the majority of her flat. The windows were covered; all doors locked, and though she knew it would do no good, she clutched at her husband's baseball bat – one of the many things he had left behind in his hurry to leave. He loved her, he said, but couldn't take the secrets. Of all the ironic things, he had accused her of having an affair. Backed into a corner, she could hardly confess the true reason for her secrecy, but he refused to believe her innocence merely on the claim that she kept nothing from him.

Tired of the arguments, he had simply left, leaving her with constant reminders of his presence, and what little she could remember of the good times they had shared. It was true that she had not been fair to him, but nothing could change that now, and nor would it matter if her horrific actions really_ had_ come back to haunt her.

_No one must know…_

And if no one could know, how could anyone save her?

-x-

_**Omake:**_

Her boss's sudden close proximity caused the part-timer's breath to hitch as she found herself staring into amused navy eyes, the smirk accompanying them informing Mai that her boyfriend had a fairly good idea of what he could 'do with her'. His warm lips captured hers, exploring fingers leaving her flesh tingling as he strove to prove his point. Flushing furiously, Mai's glance darted towards the open door.

"W-what if somebody _sees_ us?!"

"Then we'll sell the rights online."


	3. Because You Live

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters f

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, I wouldn't need to keep coming up with new disclaimers. I would write, 'MINE!!' instead.

WARNING Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 3: Because You Live

Shuffling around under the spare bed's covers, Mai attempted to get comfortable, eventually finding herself sprawled in defeat on her back, staring at the not-so-unfamiliar ceiling. It was impossible to get to sleep with so many thoughts running around in her head, and if she couldn't sleep, she couldn't contact Gene. Since that was the reason she was here after all, the cinnamon-eyed girl decided to change her tact, letting her mind lead her in whatever direction it desired. Perhaps if she let it get it's own way for a while, it would in turn allow her to have hers - at the very least, she doubted things could get any worse.

The group of irregulars at S.P.R. had all speculated what Masako held over their boss's head, and the medium had actually confided her knowledge of Naru's secret to Mai just before going missing on the Urado case. It was a wonder the part-timer didn't realise the connection when Naru revealed his true name, but even if she had, just _how_ Masako knew would still have remained a mystery. Naru had of course explained it to her once the doll-like girl had left; making Mai surprised to discover that her feelings bore little resemblance to jealousy, and far more towards sympathy. Bits and pieces of the past conversation with her rival began flooding back, and she recalled the need she had felt to comfort the girl, despite their competitive situation.

_She thought it would have been better if she never knew; that he hated her because of it._

How would the popular medium feel, finding out that Naru had told her voluntarily? Mai's heart was conflicted; her victory bitter-sweet. It wasn't like she was prepared to give up Naru or anything, but that didn't mean she liked seeing her friend's feelings hurt.

'_Friend'…_

_I wonder if Masako will ever see me as such…_

Sleep began to tug at the auburn-haired girl's eyelids, a wide yawn signalling the success of her earlier plan as reality began to blend into oblivion, Mai's final thoughts turning towards the mission she so desperately needed to complete.

_Gene…_

_I have to reach Gene…_

-x-

He could feel her soul reaching out to him in the darkness, waking him from his deathly slumber. She was like an angel delving into a world of nightmares, and he had lied to her. True, he'd never outright _told _Mai that he was his brother, but he hadn't exactly tried to correct her mistake, either.

Originally, he'd simply been surprised and thought it was in the girl's best interest that she didn't know she was talking to a ghost, but the more he saw Mai, the easier it was to think of excuses not to tell her. 'I don't know how long the connection will last, I have to show her what I can before the link fades', 'Noll should be the one to tell her about me, her feelings will be hurt otherwise', and last, but certainly not least, 'What if she experiences the way I died?' Well, he'd been right about _that_ one, Gene conceded grimly - Mai had seen alright, the moment she'd touched him and called him by his true name.

He was aware of why she was here; why Mai had been reaching out for his soul in vain every night, and maybe that knowledge, along with a reasonable amount of self-loathing and guilt, was the reason he'd purposely avoided her grasp.

_If Noll finds my body, he'll go back to England…_

Mai's feelings for his brother had always been fairly obvious, and though Oliver was known for his intelligence, Gene knew better than to trust his twin's version of common sense when it came to dealing with relationships.

_I hope that idiot of a scientist doesn't cause her too much trouble. _

The girl in question's cinnamon eyes began to flutter open, and though she was clearly glad to see him, Gene noted that both now and the last time they had met, her face did not begin to flush the moment she saw him.

_Things have already begun to change between us…_

"Gene!" The dreaming girl cried happily, "I did it! I managed to contact _you_ this time!"

…_But I suppose it's for the better. It's not like I could really offer her anything, being dead and all._

He smiled half-heartedly, silently accepting that even if he _had_ met Mai when he was alive, she would still have fallen in love with his emotionally retarded twin. Her body language spoke only of friendship and trust in him, not desire.

_How can she still trust us so easily?_

Surely most people in her shoes would have been driven to hate the bearers of such deception, no matter how good the intention or reason behind it, but it seemed as though the latent psychic had merely taken it in her stride, simply glad that the mysteries surrounding the man she loved had been revealed to her. The ghost gazed at the young woman with soft, blue-grey eyes, admiring her instinctive ability to see into people's hearts.

_You knew from the beginning, didn't you – that there was more to Noll than what he seemed…_

_If only that knowledge hadn't lead you to witness my death._

"I'm sorry."

Mai blinked in confusion when his hushed apology broke through the darkness, and Gene felt his throat constrict as he tried to explain, "I didn't want you to see…"

Her hands reached out instantly in compassion, and the flash of pain her eyes held suggested to the ghost that she had momentarily recalled some of the more graphic details of the last vision she had seen, but the stubbornly optimistic girl seemed to conquer the memory and push it aside for his sake.

"It's okay -"

"No it's not." He firmly disagreed, meeting Mai's surprised gaze, wondering if she saw him as acting more like her boss at the present moment, his lips curling in bitter irony at the thought. However different he and Oliver might be, it seemed that they shared more than a few similarities.

_...Like falling in love with the same woman._

"I didn't want you to remember me likethat. You've been trying to contact me, I know -" He stopped to collect himself, realising how rapidly his speech was degenerating into meaningless babble, and concluded softly, "…But I pushed you away, and I'm sorry."

Gene saw the recollection cross Mai's face as the meaning of his words sunk in, a new wave of guilt washing over his consciousness as she wrapped her arms around him, the open-hearted girl's instant forgiveness both stinging and soothing his wounds.

"Oh, Gene…" She scolded lightly, "I won't let the way you died change the way I see you, even if I _did_ think you were merely my imagination until Naru showed me that picture…"

Gene couldn't help but smile at her somewhat embarrassed confession, but his expression quickly turned serious when Mai's next words steered their conversation in an unsettling direction, "…What made you change your mind? Did something happen?"

_Did something happen…?_

…_In a word, '_yes'

While knowingly evading Mai only served to make him feel even worse after she'd discovered who he was, the catalyst for his decision to meet her came from a brief disturbance in the darkness he slept in, prompting him to act. One thing was for sure - if anything happened to Mai, whoever (or whatever) proved responsible would have one vengeful ghost to deal with, not to mention a powerful psychic with a vindictive streak when adequately provoked.

His silence seemed to be bothering Mai, and realising that he had not actually answered her question, Gene quickly amended; "Actually, I was planning on asking you the same thing. Sometime in between now and the last time you tried to contact me, I…" His words dwindled, eyebrows furrowed in thought as he muttered the end of his broken sentence, "…Felt something _odd_."

"I don't remember anything out of the ordinary happening – unless Naru being nice counts -" Mai added cheekily, "And none of the cases we were asked to help with today seemed genuine. As far as I know, everything's fine."

Gene frowned, trying to figure out what to make of the sensation.

"It was like…someone walked over my grave…"

-x-

Sitting bolt upright the moment she woke was_ not_ a good idea, Mai told herself, brushing away a stray tear that had escaped during sleep. If only her impulses would learn their lesson from her rapidly spinning head, instead of inflicting the same treatment upon her whenever she dreamt something that seemed to require urgent attention. Flopping back against the pillow, she let her eyes adjust to the dark, running through the details of her successful attempt to contact Gene and committing each moment to memory.

_Should I wake Naru?_

_Since it's concerning his brother, he'd want to know straight away, right?_

Knowing her boss he was probably still awake anyway, Mai conceded, groping around for the bedside light's switch before sliding out of bed. The hallway was dark aside from the soft blue glow of the moon emanating from the adjoining lounge room's windows, and she was surprised at how long she must have slept if both Naru and Lin had turned in for the night. Whenever they were on case, the two men seemed to forgo sleep; often going to bed late, only to go back to work abominably early the next morning.

Fumbling for the door knob to Naru's room, she hoped her decision to tell him immediately was the right one. He had been looking for his brother's body for roughly two years now, and though she was confident he would be able to use the information she had collected, Mai wasn't looking forward to telling him that his search may not end as quickly as she had expected.

Waking the sleeping narcissist also proved to be more trouble than she had accounted for, and soon Mai was unsure whether her feelings leant more towards frustration at her failure to wake him using conventional means, or the temptation to relax and enjoy the position he had instinctively pulled her into. The more she struggled, the firmer Naru's grasp became, until the auburn-haired girl accepted her fate, too tired to care about being embarrassed.

_Maybe it's better to wait until morning, an__yway... _

-x-

_Soft…_

_Warm…_

Since when had his pillow possessed a heartbeat? Deep blue eyes flicked open instantly at the recollection, his first instinct to pull away until he spied tangled auburn strands brushing gently against one of his hands every time the young woman beneath him breathed. Wondering how much longer she might sleep, Naru smirked at the thought of Mai's reaction should she wake to find him wrapped around her, his attention suddenly drawn to a light cough coming from the direction of his now open bedroom door.

"While I'm pleased that the two of you have finally got your act together, would you mind refraining from doing anything that might tempt your parents to lynch me?" The older man asked stiffly, and Naru replied lazily, "Who said anything about lynching? My mother will probably start preparing for grandchildren the moment she hears I'm actually interested in someone."

Funnily enough, both men grimaced at the truth in the tongue-in-cheek comment, Lin seeming to decide that what he didn't officially know couldn't hurt him, while Naru sent the Chinese mage a look that implied he would be careful, but made no promises.

"Ungh…" A feminine groan emerged from among the sheets, "Mmn…Na-ru…"

Was she dreaming about him, or simply trying to get his attention through a half-awakened state? Naru went to brush aside the fringe currently obscuring her eyes, but she blindly batted his fingers away.

"…Get…your own damn tea." She grumbled, shoving at his shoulder as she stirred in her sleep. Up until that moment, Lin had remained silent during the exchange, intending to escape into the corridor before Mai fully came to her senses, but the dreaming girl's words earned a muffled chuckle at his boss's expense. Naru quickly shot the older man a death-glare as he made his getaway, leaving the young man staring bemusedly down at his sleeping beauty. If she was going to dream about him, couldn't she manage something slightly more…_erotic_?

-x-

For some reason it was difficult to move, as if she were weighed down. Managing to untangle her arms from the mixture of bed sheets and whatever seemed to be pinning her in place, Mai grasped hold of part of the offending object, trying to free herself.

_Firm…_

_Smooth…_

_And warm?_

Cracking one of her eyes open, Mai could have fallen out of bed at the sight that met her. She was not in her room. This was _Naru's _room. The amused blue eyes staring down at her most certainly belonged to her boss, and though she had been in similar situations with him before, she usually remembered how she got there. Mind blank, the hand that wasn't grasping her boyfriend's naked upper arm instinctively flew to cover her chest, checking that she still wore clothes. He raised an eyebrow at her in response, and Mai knew that nothing short of a serious case of sunburn could hide her blush.

"Did you think we…?" Naru left the question hanging, knowing _exactly_ what the young woman in his arms had instinctively thought, no doubt taking great pleasure in being provided with such a perfect opportunity to tease her mercilessly.

"We could if you like," He whispered seductively into her ear, causing the skin on the nape of her neck to tingle, "But as far as I know, nothing happened."

Letting out a breath she didn't realise she'd been holding, Mai was startled by the chuckle that left her boyfriend's lips at her reaction.

_Have I_ ever_ heard him laugh before?_

Mai wasn't sure.

"Did I scare you?" Her captor continued to tease, "Although I believe you came here on your own -"

"I spoke to Gene last night," She suddenly interrupted, instantly capturing Naru's undivided attention as the auburn-haired girl recalled how she had come to find herself locked in his embrace, "I would've told you straight away, but you sleep like a rock."

"So you climbed into bed with me instead?" He exclaimed with a touch of mock surprise as he got out of bed, eyes conveniently turning serious before Mai had a chance to retaliate.

"Lin will want to hear what you have to say as well." Naru explained while gesturing for her to follow him out into the lounge, briefly looking down at what his girlfriend was wearing, "Would you prefer to change out of your night clothes first?"

Mai shook her head, claiming she was fine - it wasn't like Lin hadn't seen her constantly clad in little more than one of Naru's spare shirts when she'd been sick.

_He's being extremely patient…_

…_And what little information I can give him may not even be useful._

Mai's spirit was troubled as Lin sat down opposite her, unsure of where to start until Naru's calm voice broke though the silence.

"Gene couldn't tell you, could he?"

Mai looked up in shock, guessing that her demeanour must have given away that her success in contacting his brother had not automatically managed to solve their problem.

"N-no..." She admitted, glad that she no longer had to worry about how to break the news, "He doesn't know where his body is – all he could tell me is where he was when he died. Unless something causes a disturbance in his 'realm' of sorts, Gene's soul seems to stay asleep."

Naru sighed heavily, glancing sideways at Lin as he spoke, "As I suspected, the dead don't necessarily know more than what they did when they were alive…"

Mai was tempted to glare at the know-it-all for failing to mention his thoughts to her on the matter; if he had, maybe she might not have set her hopes quite so high.

"He was sight-seeing in Tochigi, at a small lookout near located somewhere between the Kanaya Hotel and a local shrine. I know it's not much to work with," She ventured quietly, fingers fisted nervously in the material of her nightgown, "But does it _help_?"

"Assuming the assailant took Gene to the lake because it was the most convenient location, it's probably somewhere nearby." Lin replied, not entirely answering her question as he typed distractedly on his laptop, only pausing to pass a stack of well worn maps over to Naru for sorting. Mai watched her boyfriend's hands sift quickly through the collection, focused solely on finding the area she had described, a trace of guilt settling in her stomach the longer she remained silent. After all, the information she had just given them wasn't the _only_ thing Gene had asked her to relay to his twin, but if the part-timer had thought informing Naru that she didn't know where his brother's body was would be difficult, this proved even worse.

"Um, Naru? T-there's something else…" Mai attempted, her noticeably unstable words drawing immediate attention from the two previously preoccupied men, "Gene didn't originally want to tell me anything -"

Both men stared at her in surprise, the more affected of the two looking away as he muttered angrily under his breath, "What is that idiot thinking?!"

Breathing a sigh of frustration mixed with sympathy, Mai reprimanded him softly, aware that her own response to Gene's words had been little better.

"He was thinking of you."

-x-

"_Why?!" Mai heard herself demand, numbed by the cool expression on the ghost's face - maybe Gene was a little more like Naru than he tended to let on._

"_He's trying so hard," She pleaded, tears clouding her vision as her voice accused, "So why! Don't you _want_ him to find you?!"_

_The light brush of fingertips stilled her trembling lips, wiping away the taste of salt that had begun to invade her mouth. His smile held no trace of joy, blue-grey eyes focusing somewhere far beyond her as he spoke._

"_I am dead. I want my brother to _live_, not simply dwell on the past."_

"_But still…!"_

_He touched a finger to her lips once more, silencing the protest._

"_What do you think will happen if he finds my body?"_

_Mai blinked up at her boyfriend's look-alike, confused by the question._

"_He'll… take you back to England."_

He'll leave…

"_What else?" The ghost pressed, his third question unveiling a startling possibility; "Don't you think the police would find it odd that __he knew where to find me? Noll; or as you call him, Naru…" Gene quietly corrected for her benefit, "…would probably be suspected of my murder."_

-x-

"…Both of us know you too well to think that it will stop you from trying, but I just thought you should know." Mai concluded, eyes searching Naru's features for some kind of response.

"You don't want me to find Gene." His icy tone seemed to accuse, but Mai's gut instinct told her that behind the barely veiled anger, Naru had probably meant it as an honest question. Deciding that now might not be the best time to fight fire with fire, she calmed her initial reaction before reaching up to touch his face, her answer gentle, "If I felt that way, Gene wouldn't have told me."

Mai never noticed Lin slip soundlessly into the nearby kitchen, allowing her and the dark youth a moment of privacy, for the world around them seemed irrelevant when Naru drew her into his arms, whispering his love of her into the auburn locks of her hair. She looked up at him in surprise, "T-That's the first time I've actually heard you say it..."

He must have liked her response, for as he moved in to take her lips, Naru smoothly replied, "I suppose I'm going to have to say it more often then."

-x-

_**Omake:**_

Naru stared at her in surprise, looking away as he muttered angrily under his breath, "What was that idiot thinking?!"

Breathing a sigh of frustration mixed with sympathy, Mai reprimanded him softly, aware that her own response to Gene's information had been little better.

"I assume your brother thought it was better for me to find where he hid your 'secret stash', rather than risking your parents stumbling across it..."

* * *

**A/N: Just in case anyone is confused, the paragraph written italics is a flashback, and as I usually write thoughts or accentuated words in italics, they are written in regular text for the flashback, same as accentuated words usually are during thought...**


	4. Bed of Fears

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, I would have an editor to torment with last minute alterations.

WARNING Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 4: Bed of Fears

A soft knock at the door causes me to jump, gripping the baseball bat in my hands so tightly that my knuckles grow white. The last thing I feel like dealing with is unexpected guests, especially when the only 'visitor' I _am_ expecting shouldn't even exist.

_Only children believe in stories like that, yet here I am, cowering in my own house._

I scold myself, still unable to rationalise away my apprehension as I creep cautiously towards the front door. There is a second, more determined knock on the wood barring me from the outside world, and I curse at my involuntary flinch.

"Y-yes?" I offer, praying that my worst nightmares have not come true.

"Cho…? It's me." A relieved, infinitely recognisable voice returns. I don't have to ask who 'me' is; every night and every day I have longed to hear his voice, but I know all too well that this moment will not last. I have committed too many sins.

"Yutaka? W-what are you doing here?"

My words stumble over each other, and I lean my head against the architrave, frustrated at my inability to control the wave of mixed emotions that consume me. Knowing it is a hopeless cause, I open the door for my husband, taking in his worn appearance, tired eyes and unshaven face.

"We need to talk." He says, and I am tempted to breakdown in his warm arms, confessing the secret that has slowly torn us apart over the last two years through my selfishness and stupidity. It is not until his hand reaches out to gently cup my cheek that I realise I am crying, and he pulls me into his embrace on my behalf.

"I've…I've missed you too, Cho. I want to give us another chance…" He angles my face up to meet his, and I see the doubt in his eyes. They are swimming with unanswered questions, worries that he thinks only the truth can ease – but Yutaka does not know that what I might say would shake his world to the very foundations. The woman he once married no longer exists, unable to give him what he needs, or rather, _deserves_ to know. I cannot tell him the truth.

I cling to him, burying my face in his chest, as if such an action might postpone my inevitable loss, but his hands grow cold on my skin – ever so cold, like ice. Water pools at our feet, dripping steadily from the hem of Yutaka's coat, it's dampness slowly seeping into my clothes.

_Strange, __was it raining before…?_

I don't remember.

"If it's not another man…" He breathes; voice little louder than a whisper, "Then what is it, Cho?"

I wrack my mind for an excuse, _any_ excuse, to appease him and bring my love back to me, but as always, my mind has gone blank with fear. For a moment I glance to the floor, idly noticing that the puddle forming around us is growing unusually large. Shouldn't I have realised if he was soaked to the bone? At least offered him a towel?

"I told you, I merely lost my focus…" My voice pleads for him to believe, "I took you for granted, but I'm not keeping anything from you, I swear!"

His grip on my arm tightens with startling harshness, and the deathly voice that speaks through my husband's lips terrifies me beyond rational thought; all I can do is stare in horror as his once hazel eyes fade to a blue so dark they are almost black, a perfect match for the raven hair and eerily pale complexion of the face now glowering down at me.

"…_Liar_."

Adrenaline pumps through my veins as I strive to escape his grasp, floor boards giving way beneath me, surrendering to the ever-growing pool of water's violent currents. The cold blue eyes watch without mercy as my body is ripped down into the murky depths, struggling desperately for air, ever fighting for the surface. The more I strive, the more the burning in my lungs threatens to overcome me, and I slowly begin to realise, with sickeningly simple logic, that 'this is it'.

_I am going to die…_

My mouth opens, the breath I've been holding for so long suddenly released as I accept my fate, allowing the freezing waters to invade me. Convinced of my end, my mind does not take kindly to reality's intervention, reeling as the sudden intake of air causes my head to split with pain and I roll blindly onto my back, trying to make sense of my blurred surroundings.

Little becomes clear, save a lingering awareness that if I had gone without oxygen a mere second longer, I would have passed out in my sleep. Further observation reveals that my feet now rest on the cushion of the armchair I have clearly tumbled from during the all-too-vivid nightmare, a cold sweat beading on my skin as I try to catch my breath.

…_Just a dream._

Wiping the moisture from my forehead, I glance down the empty corridor in hesitation. I feel terrible and need to clean myself up, but don't particularly favour the idea of being immersed in water at this point in time. Maybe a shower would be easier to deal with than a bath?

Gingerly making my way down the hallway, my eyes glance fitfully from doors to walls - even as I rummage through drawers and cupboards for a change of clothes and a fresh towel, Yutaka's baseball bat is never far from reach. It is not until the warm, cleansing stream flows over my body, that I allow myself to feel a sense of normalcy.

By the time I step out from the soothing shower, I have convinced myself that the dream means nothing. The nightmare is just one of many others, holding no consequences in the waking world – it does not mean _he_ knows how to find me.

It does not mean that I am going to die.

Towel-drying my hair, I reach out absentmindedly to turn off the sink's dripping tap, silencing the unsettling echo. As I turn to leave the bathroom, the tap begins to drip once more, and I wrench at the knob in frustration.

The sound does not even slow in pace.

_W__hy won't it stop?!_

Glaring at the silver contraption, I feel the colour slowly drain from my face, mesmerised by the trickle of scarlet droplets that stain the white porcelain of my basin. No one need tell me what the sickly liquid is, and I jerk away from the sight in disgust, a shadow flickering through my field of vision as I glance wildly around the empty room, eyes inevitably drawn to my mirror's disturbing reflection.

My once clean hands now drip with blood, and there is no face on earth that I recognise quite like that of the decomposing teenager now standing behind me. Clenching my eyes shut, I try to erase the horrifying images from my mind; somehow will them out of existence.

_This can't be happening! This_ isn't_ happening!_

My fingers tremble as I fumble blindly for the bat, too panicked to feel relief as I finally grasp the smooth handle. Clinging to chaos like a life-preserver, I lunge wildly at the mirror with the one, useless thing I have to protect myself. My phase of ludicrous charms and protection spells wore off long ago – I supposed they only helped if you had some kind of talent for it in the first place.

"Stay the _hell_ away from me!" I scream at the piercing blue eyes, their gaze never leaving me even as their reflection shatters, now mere shards of glass clattering to the tiled floor. I have given up trying to calm my pounding heart, tears flowing silently down my cheeks in hopeless despair as the silence of the room is broken by a cool whisper against the nape of my neck.

"_Return __it…_

_Return what you stole."_

-x-

Kazuo Hayashi glanced from his watch to the splayed bundle of paperwork he had been graced with almost two hours ago. It had already been a long day, and thanks to a co-worker's recent lapse in competence, it had quickly become even longer. On the bright side, he was close to finishing the horrendous fix-up job, and the misplaced files had been found before it was too late.

He paused midway through signing yet another document as his mobile, still set to silent, vibrated in his jacket pocket. Hurriedly finishing the required signature, Kazuo flipped open the buzzing device, wondering briefly at the unfamiliar number before answering.

"Hello?"

The unidentified caller did not respond at first, but he could hear faint voices in the background, along with what sounded like a woman panting for breath.

…_Some sort of sick prank, perhaps?_

He repeated his earlier greeting, intending to hang up if it failed to prompt some form of response.

"Ka-Kazuo? I – I need help…"

The man's eyebrows promptly shot up at the choked sound of his sister's voice, "Cho?! What's wrong?" He rushed, re-checking the number on the small glowing screen – it definitely didn't belong to her. Where was she?

"You're not hurt, are you?"

"…No." She replied after a pause, "N-not much, anyway – just a few scratches…"

_Scratches?!_

"Um, C-can I…" Cho continued, the panicked, broken edge to her voice never quite fading, "Can I s-stay at your place for a while?"

It simply wasn't like his sister to ask for help, she usually preferred to deal with things alone - that Cho was even admitting she _needed_ help was cause enough for him to worry, whether their mother might see the change as a positive development or not. The answer to her plea was obvious, so Kazuo pressed on to more important details.

"Do you need me to pick you up? Where _are_ you?"

"…A-at the neighbours…" She replied, a touch of surprise lacing her tone, "Maruyama-san helped me."

_That cranky old woman?! _

…_And just what did she help you _with_, exactly?_

He was dying to ask, but perhaps it was best to wait until she chose to confide in him – knowing Cho, she might refuse his help if he pressed her too hard. Gathering up the remains of the paper work, Kazuo pocketed his keys while heading for the door.

"I'll be there as soon as I can Cho, so just sit tight, okay?"

The drive seemed to take forever, Kazuo's agitation steadily increasing with the practically non-existent flow of the city traffic. He knew things had been hard for his sister, even before Yutaka had walked out – it hadn't exactly been a surprise, considering the couple's seeming inability to occupy the same room without inadvertently offending each other. After a while, Cho had begun to avoid her family, ashamed of the numerous arguments and awkward silences that never failed to dampen the once cheerful atmosphere.

What confused Kazuo was just what had changed their relationship so drastically – true, Cho had never found allowing others to get close to her particularly easy, but Yutaka had been different. She _loved _him. No matter what anyone said, he knew that much to be true.

When he finally arrived at the Maruyama's, the door opened to him immediately after the first knock.

_Just how does__ the old woman move so quick, that's what I'd like to know._

She reminded him of his fourth grade teacher – the entire class had been convinced she was an alien of some kind, or maybe a robot with sensors that allowed her to know exactly what was going on and when. Needless to say, they hadn't gotten away with _anything _that year. Kazuo knew without a shadow of a doubt that if their teacher's name was mentioned to anyone who had been taught by her, even if it was only for one day as a relief teacher, recognition would be instantaneous.

"You must be the brother, then." Stated the overly stout, wrinkled woman; eyeing him suspiciously as he nodded in affirmation.

"I'm Kazuo Hayashi, yes."

"Your sister's in the lounge room," Maruyama informed him while handing him a suitcase, "Take this down while I go get her."

Thinking it wise not to question the old woman, he lugged the surprisingly heavy bag back to the car, vainly hoping Cho might prove more informative once they were alone. Maruyama gently guided his sister down the stairs, but not without a firm scowl that seemed etched into her face after years of growling at 'young whipper-snappers' who probably dared each other to run up and knock on the woman's door.

_Perhaps that was why she was so quick to answer__?_

_Lots of practise__…_

Hiding the inappropriately timed grin, Kazuo noticed the tended wounds on Cho's arms as she hesitated before climbing into the passenger seat, and against his better judgement, offered the old woman his thanks. She looked at him like he'd grown a second head, but seemed content with his response.

"You'd better keep an eye on her," Maruyama offered conspiratorially, "When I found her, the idiot was sitting hopelessly outside her front door, bleeding – refused to even step foot inside her own house – I ended up packing her bags and everything! The neighbours say she's finally lost the plot, and after seeing the broken mirror in her bathroom, I can see why."

-x-

Mai had been unusually quiet since Naru had begun preparing to leave for Tochigi, staring out of the window as she played absentmindedly with the no-doubt lukewarm mug in her hands. Her most recent lapse in concentration had lasted significantly longer than the last; the preoccupied teen's splutters hardly surprising the Chinese mage as she unceremoniously spat a stone-cold mouthful of tea back into her cup.

"Want to talk about it?" He offered, a touch of amusement momentarily overriding his concern. The auburn-haired girl grimaced up at him in response.

"I'm _that_ obvious, huh?"

Thankfully, he doubted she'd expected a reply – it was funny how women could often get as irritated with you for agreeing with them as they might with your arguing. While Mai seemed far less likely to take offence than most of the women he had encountered, there were times it was still better to be safe than sorry.

"Lin, what if Naru could claim he was checking out the area for business purposes, rather than personal?" She mused, "It might be seen as convenient, but he'd at least have a cover story, right?"

Lin mulled over the idea's potential for a moment, eventually shaking his head.

"Actually, I think it may be better if he doesn't."

Mai quickly glanced up at him, cinnamon eyes betraying a mixture of shock and confusion, yet Lin could practically see her rationalise her thoughts, silently accepting his judgement.

"Naru will probably be suspected either way, but hiding our intentions could easily backfire." He explained, if for no other reason than to confirm that her trust in him was warranted, "If the Police can't make a significant case against him, there won't be any point in taking it to court – but if they had reason to believe that we felt the need to disguise our actions…"

"…We'd only be making a case against ourselves." Mai finished for him, almost wishing she didn't understand. There was something else she'd realised in the process, and the young woman didn't like it one bit.

"Naru…" She whispered, heart constricting in a confusing medley of loneliness and anxiety, "He's known this all along, hasn't he?"

Lin paused, glancing back over his shoulder at her quiet revelation before disappearing out into the corridor with an audible sigh.

"…Probably."

-x-

She hadn't slept at all last night, Kazuo was sure of it. For someone who tended to make the most of every opportunity she had to sleep in, his sister was simply far too alert, and the darkening bags under her eyes were a dead give away. To say she was agitated could easily be considered the understatement of the year, yet she still hadn't uttered a word of what had caused her to seek his help in the first place.

The concerned older brother's eyes darted once more to the abrasions on her arms, thinking of the mirror Maruyama had mentioned. Had someone tried to attack her? Maybe rob her? No one had brought up the state of the rest of Cho's apartment, or of phoning the police, but then again, no one had said an awful lot about _anything_.

Could she have simply snapped under the pressure of the last few months, maybe even years, and destroyed it _herself_? Though if that were the case, why would she be afraid to go back inside?

_...She isn't going crazy, is she?_

He supposed people had lost their minds over less, but preferred not to dwell on the notion. Crazy or not, she was his blood, and he would find a way to help her.

"Cho…" He began, his intense gaze securing her attention, "Why did you phone me? Just what _happened_ yesterday?"

She froze at the inquiry, turning for a moment to offer him a broken smile.

"I'm…not really sure," Cho admitted, buying time with a pebble of truth as she debated what she could, and could not tell him, "Just too many memories, I guess. I couldn't stand it any more – I fell asleep on the couch, dreaming about him -" She choked out, disguising the terror she felt at the haunting memory as grief for her broken marriage.

Kazuo wrapped his arms around her before she could attempt to continue, regretting the confrontation as he smoothed his sister's ruffled hair and soothed, "Shhh…It's okay, I never meant to upset you…"

He had no way of knowing that the true reason for the relief now spreading throughout her features had little to do with the comforting shoulder he offered, and everything to do with her successful manipulation.

The best lies are always based on truth.

-x-

_**Omake:**_

Mai had been unusually quiet, staring out of the window as she played absentmindedly with the no-doubt lukewarm mug in her hands. Her most recent lapse in concentration had lasted significantly longer than the last; the preoccupied teen's splutters hardly surprising the Chinese mage as she unceremoniously spat a stone-cold mouthful of tea back into her cup.

"Want to talk about it?" He offered, a touch of amusement momentarily overriding his concern. Lost in thought, the girl did not answer immediately, silence hanging thickly in the air as he waited for some kind of response.

"Why '_Noll_'?" She mused, in a way that caused Lin to debate whether or not she was even aware of his presence. Her voice, barely above a whisper, could easily be directed at herself rather than a conscious answer to his earlier proposal.

"No offence, but the nickname sounds, well…" Mai persisted before gazing intently at the floor, possibly searching for a word, or trying to decide if it was a good idea to continue. It seemed that the auburn-haired girl's strange reply _had_ been directed at him, after all.

"Well, like the kind of name kids usually make up in order to tease someone they dislike..."

Lin almost laughed when he saw the expression Mai pulled as she concluded the sentence, clearly in the process of realising that she may have just answered her own question. The part-timer didn't stop there however; a presumably long held-back rant bursting forth from her lips, as if the words might explode if she tried to hold them within her chest a minute longer.

"How on earth did anyone manage to get '_Noll_' from '_Oliver_'? About the only similarity between the two words is that they both contain an 'o' and an 'l'! What is he, a reincarnation of the 'second gunman'?!"

Lin watched in odd fascination as the teen's animated face began to flush at her outburst, inwardly chuckling as he managed to recognise her obscure reference to a popular theory surrounding J.F.K.'s untimely demise.

"'Noll' isn't short for 'Oliver'," The tall, dark man corrected simply, features stoic even as Mai's face scrunched up in confusion, "It's short for 'k_no_w it a_ll_'."


	5. Shadow of the Raven

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, there would be more readily available merchandise. I want Naru, Lin and Mai figurines!! (Let me know if you spot any. Pretty please?)

WARNING Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 5: Shadow of the Raven

Steel blue eyes closed with an almost imperceptible sigh, pale porcelain hands folding neatly behind the dark locks of the listless teen as he lay back against the hotel bed, mind more cluttered than the assortment of highlighted and heavily scribbled road maps abandoned at his side. Though it was late, he had not bothered to climb between the sheets or even change clothes for that matter; unlike Lin, whose tiring drive had long since defeated conscious thought.

Escaping Tokyo's heavy traffic flow rarely posed an easy feat, adding exponentially to an already time-consuming trip, so it was no great surprise to Naru that his travelling companion had given in to sleep far more easily than he. Perhaps if he hadn't run out of data to analyse, left to mull over what life beyond Gene's recovery might hold and struggling to keep a firm grasp on the hope-fuelled adrenaline pumping through his veins, he might not be quite so restless now. Inactive limbs groaned at their prolonged disuse, and while both men had agreed that visiting the lake would be far more productive during the light of day, Naru's worn patience refused to co-operate with common sense. As few emotions managed to effectively permeate the teen's stubborn wall of rationality, the ones that did were always the hardest to deal with.

He certainly wished he'd dealt with the concept of love with a little more finesse. Gene would have seen through all the excuses he had fed himself in order to avoid admitting the obvious, and there was no doubt in Naru's mind that his twin would have found his predicament completely hilarious had he been able to witness it. Oh, Gene would have _helped_ (once he'd managed to stop laughing), but he would never have let his 'idiot scientist' of a brother forget it.

A small fist of pain closed around Naru's heart as flickering old memories danced over the dark youth's mind, and he closed his eyes in concentration; sending one, simple thought out into the waiting darkness.

_Gene…_

_I _will _find you._

-x-

The soft, hollow drumming of fingertips roused Lin from slumber; his eyes soon focusing on the somewhat rumpled, but otherwise perfectly made bed on the opposite side of the room.

Had Naru even slept?

From the looks of the boy staring distractedly out of the window, the answer was a great big, resounding 'no'. It wasn't surprising, considering how agitated the teen had been during the drive, coupled with being forced to wait even longer once they'd arrived.

No words were exchanged between the two as the Lin picked out a change of clothes and headed for the shower, since none were needed. Both knew why they were here and what had to be done, so when the Chinese man re-emerged from the bathroom, a mere nod of the head sufficiently communicated that it was time to go.

Maps in hand, Naru slid into the passenger seat, distracting himself from the turbulence in his mind by focusing his energy on navigating. Lin hoped for both their sakes that this would be the last time they set out to find Gene – no matter how relentlessly they searched, there was only so much hope and disappointment a heart could take.

Holding his breath as the lake finally rolled into view, Lin stole a quick glance at the youth beside him, noting his clenched hands and widened eyes as he drank in the landscape's every detail. If their shared anticipation had been tangible, only the sharpest of blades would have even made a dent.

Slowing down and pulling off the quiet road, Lin's attention was suddenly drawn to what could only be the sound of the passenger door opening.

"_Naru -!_"

Deaf to the reprimand, his feet were already on the ground, racing for the water's edge, leaving the still-moving vehicle's door swinging precariously behind him.

There were of course some changes from what Naru remembered – the boat was no longer there, and the plant-life had both advanced in some areas and been removed from others, but there could be no doubt.

This was Gene's resting place.

-x-

Normally, if her phone had rung before seven in the morning, Mai would have been tempted to hang up on them or simply pull her head under the covers until the annoying noise went away. Given recent circumstances however, her slender hand quickly shot out, grappling briefly with the bed sheets before clumsily clasping the receiver.

"Mmh…N-naru?"

She was fairly certain it was either him or Lin, and she figured the older of the two would forgive the mistake should she make it.

"We found the lake."

..._Definitely_ Naru. Wait - what was it he'd said again?

_Lake…_

"You…You found it…" She groggily repeated, the awe in her voice undisguised as the reality of his words sank in; her thoughts suddenly taking a more sombre turn.

"Are you okay?"

He avoided the question, informing her instead of the divers he and Lin intended to hire once business hours permitted; a moment of silence passing between them as both parties struggled to find the right words to say.

"Is…is there anything else I can do to help?" She finally surrendered meekly, feeling somewhat useless in the situation, unable to even stand by his side in support.

"A cup of tea would be nice."

Mai blinked, drawing the phone away from her ear and staring at it in surprise.

_...That _was_ meant as a joke, right?_

She pressed her ear against the receiver once more, wondering if it was possible to hear a smile through the phone line. It might have worked if she had been talking to anyone but Naru.

-x-

It just didn't make sense.

For someone who claimed to be having trouble with their studies, Haruka had shied away from his offer to tutor her like a startled horse. Okay, Yasuhara reasoned, the girl might simply be shy, but from what he'd heard, she'd fit into S.P.R.'s little group quite nicely. It was easy enough to make friends with the majority of the team, but being comfortable around Lin and Naru? He doubted there were many who could honestly say that.

So, scratch 'shy' off the list of possibilities.

He rather liked option number two, because it indicated that she might have felt uncomfortable around him due to attraction; which seemed plausible given the sweet blush that had touched her cheeks at the compliment he had given her. On the other hand, maybe she was just unused to being shown _that _kind of attention. Either way, he couldn't help but feel a little pleased with himself, had that been at least a partial cause.

Unfortunately, the observant teen suspected the third intriguing choice; Haruka had lied. Yasuhara had been trying to work out why on and off for most of his class's last period, glad that being an enigmatic, grade 'A' student had its benefits (such as being able to slip beneath the teacher's 'who's not paying attention to me' radar), and that he was lucky enough to be one of them.

The final bell caused a ripple of relief through the collective student body, each uniformed boy and girl hastily shoving their books into bags as they escaped from the stuffy classrooms, flooding the corridors and trailing from the school grounds like ants from a disturbed nest. Since Mondays held no after school duties for the spectacled teen, Yasuhara found his feet turning towards his usual route to S.P.R.'s office, wondering if a chat with Mai would shed some light on Haruka's odd behaviour.

-x-

Dark, honeyed eyes focused on the silhouetted initials staring back at her from the square, tinted window in the psychic researcher's front door. Mai should have started work by now.

…_Why do I keep hesitating?_

If anyone understood her feelings, it would be Mai, but for some reason Haruka kept losing her nerve.

_Maybe I just don't want to face reality…_

Despite no longer feeling guilty for Yamada's untimely death, something indefinable stubbornly clung to her heart, a deep-seeded ache settling in her lungs whenever the brunette was reminded of what had passed. How was she supposed to deal with grief? The memory of someone you loved, and the knowledge of what you had lost could easily overcome even the strongest of souls.

_I know that grieving is important, but I don't want to wallow in self-pity, either._

Yamada had moved on, and though her memories of him would never be forgotten, she knew it was time she did the same.

-x-

It seemed to Yasuhara that those who got caught up in the world of ghosts either wanted nothing more than to repress the memory, or clung to the revelation like a moth to flame, hoping to ease the boredom brought on by the more mundane aspects of their lives.

His hypothesis probably would have held more weight if it weren't for people like Mai.

While he was certain she would prefer not to dream about death and the darker side of human nature, the only way she had really tried to repress their reality was to assume (as most would at first) that they were simply nightmares. Despite possessing psychic abilities and being fuelled by an innate desire to help others, her bond seemed stronger with the people who had exposed her to the supernatural, rather than the novelty of the world itself.

Yasuhara wondered if Haruka had been drawn to the curious group in the same way he had, for she now made her way up S.P.R.'s stairs, wavering determination in every step. When he eventually caught up with her, he was surprised to find the chocolate-haired enchantress presumably lost in thought, standing motionless in front of the ghost hunter's front door.

"If it's Naru you're worried about," He quipped, testing the water, "His bark is probably worse than his bite."

Her shoulder length hair flared out spectacularly as she spun to face him, clearly startled by his presence.

"Naru doesn't bother me," She dismissed, somewhat distractedly, "It's just that…"

The fine brown lines of her eyebrows creased downwards, indicating that Haruka had just realised who she was talking to, or to be more precise, had just realised what she was about to _say_ to someone she had only met two days ago.

Her abrupt change of subject did not go unnoticed.

"If you're here, does that mean they have a new case?"

He shook his head, slipping in beside her to open the door.

"I'm just here to say hi." Yasuhara couldn't help but smile at the way her cheeks gained a light tinge of pink when he moved within her personal space, eyes the colour of treacle quickly averted as he bowed and motioned for her to pass.

"Ladies first."

-x-

It wasn't until reaching for a second cup that Mai realised she'd automatically made tea for three. An image of Naru's smirking face came to mind, and she imagined a soft chuckle escape his lips as he teased her for the mistake – he would have a field day if he ever found out, not that she planned on telling him. There was a _reason_ she had dubbed him 'Naru' after all – his ego could easily engulf a small planet.

Unable to keep the smile off her face at the thought, Mai turned off the answering machine, settling down with a pen and paper as she checked the messages.

The first one was a short silence, followed by the 'click' of someone presumably hanging up; the second was a woman whose case had already been turned down at the end of last week (she had claimed her next door neighbour's cat was possessed by the devil), and the last was the owner of a café who seemed to be suffering from a severe case of bad luck. Mai made a note to phone the man back for a more detailed account, just in case, but thought Naru would attribute the man's misfortune to bad judgment, rather than any supernatural cause.

She had just stumbled across a note Lin had left, informing her what paperwork held priority, when the front door opened, revealing a flustered Haruka, accompanied by a typically unfazed Yasuhara. Briefly wondering what her jovial friend might have done to ruffle Haruka's feathers, it occurred to Mai that the two had probably never been introduced.

"Hi guys!" She greeted, glad for company in the uncomfortably empty office, "You've come at a good time – I brewed too much tea. Haruka, have you met Yasuhara before? He would have helped us on the case at your school, but was tied up with student council duties."

"Ah, yes," The brunette confessed awkwardly, "I was hoping to catch up with you on Saturday, and I ran into him then."

Mai nodded happily, ducking into the kitchen to fetch the brewed kettle and two extra cups, setting them down before her guests.

"I take it Naru and Lin are on another one of their trips?" Yasuhara observed, adding with a smile when her cinnamon eyes blinked at him in surprise, "You usually serve Naru first, and I doubt he would let your tea go to waste."

Blushing slightly at the observation, Mai excused herself to collect files to work on as they talked, her spectacled friend eventually taking his leave, but not before leaning over to whisper something in Haruka's ear.

Though the part-timer hadn't caught what had been said, the brief look of panic that flashed across the straight-forward girl's face earned the grinning boy a questioning glance; along with a silent promise of reprimand should it prove necessary.

_...It really is impossible to tell what he's thinking._

"Mai…" Haruka uttered once they were alone, "What do you think of Yasuhara-san?"

Spinning to face the brunette in shock, Mai's forehead creased as she tried to think of a way to describe the smiling enigma.

"He's a good person," She began slowly, "Though it can be hard to tell when he's joking - he seems to be able to say almost anything with a straight face. Even when there was a high chance he was going to die, the closest he came to losing his composure was telling the arrogant teacher who had triggered the problem what he really thought of him."

Mai laughed, suddenly remembering what Yasuhara had said when Bou-san had asked him if he'd been nervous about dying.

"He's confident, but not the type to boast about it." She concluded, restraining herself from adding, '_unlike a certain narcissist I know'_. A quick glance at Haruka proved that the brunette's thoughts had also been led down that lane, a wry smile spreading across her face as she quipped, "So, is he as good as he _thinks _he is?"

"_Haruka…!_" Mai yelped in protest, cheeks flaming at the innuendo, "I'd expect that kind of question from Ayako, not you!"

"Relax, I didn't come here to tease you," The girl grinned in response, all cheer dissipating from her voice as she continued, "Actually, I…"

Sensing the need, Mai reached out and took Haruka's hand, giving it a light squeeze of reassurance. If there was anything she could do to help, it would be done.

"…I want to visit Yamada-kun's grave."

-x-

Kazuo flicked off the lounge room lights and entered the hallway, pausing briefly as he passed Cho's make-shift bedroom. Would she manage to sleep this time?

…_Probably not._

It was obvious that she hadn't during the day. Her body would most likely force her to get some rest at some point, but the way she was going, Cho would end up making herself sick. Resolving to try and talk to her about it tomorrow, Kazuo set his alarm and slid between the sheets. Maybe he was worrying for nothing, and everything would go back to normal when he woke up…

It didn't.

A blood-curdling scream split through the early twilight, ripping Kazuo from slumber a good half hour before his clock's alarm even had a chance to sound; frantic hammering on the front door mimicking the erratic beat of his heart as he peered through a nearby window to see what the commotion was.

"_Cho!?_"

She was dressed in her night clothes, shaking and close to tears as she beat against the front door with clenched fists. Worry consumed him as he carefully eased open the door, catching a stray hand before it reached though the widening gap and collided with him. The physical contact calmed her almost immediately, and she tried to stammer out an apology as he took in her distraught appearance. Some of the deeper scratches on her wrists had reopened, droplets of blood smeared haphazardly across abnormally pale skin that had grown cold to the touch.

Speechless at the state of her, Kazuo guided his sister into the lounge room, turning the heater on before fetching her doona and the first aid kit.

"Everything's okay," She stammered breathlessly, "Really, I just…I didn't expect to wake up outside and then…"

He noticed her pause, distractedly repeating herself as if struggling to think and verbalise her thoughts simultaneously.

"…And then I tried to get back inside, but the door was locked. I can't believe I panicked so badly." She explained, offering up a fragile smile. It fell from her face when he asked what had caused her to scream.

"It was nothing." Cho dismissed, her features like stone, "…Just a dead raven."

-x-

_**Omake:**_

Normally, if her phone had rung before seven in the morning, Mai would have been tempted to hang up on them or simply pull her head under the covers until the annoying noise went away. Given the circumstances however, her slender hand quickly shot out, grappling briefly with the bed sheets before clumsily clasping the receiver.

"Mmh…N-naru?"

She was fairly certain it was either him or Lin, and she figured the older of the two would forgive the mistake should she make it.

"Mai," Her boss's voice confirmed in a brief greeting; getting straight to the point.

"Some kind of…" He paused for a moment, as if struggling to find the right words, "…_creature _has attacked Lin."

All traces of sleep gone, the auburn-haired girl practically shot upright. Naru now had her full attention.

"Is he okay?"

"He seems to be in a deep sleep, but there are strange markings on his face…"

A moment of silence passed between them, both wordlessly reaching the same conclusion – Lin wasn't the type to be easily caught off-guard. Whatever had managed to best the Chinese man had to be _strong_.

"I'll phone Yasuhara and see if he can lend a hand searching for similar occurrences," Mai quickly volunteered, "Do you want me to send the rest of the team up to help you?"

"Not yet," Naru answered, "Wait until we have some idea of what we're dea-"

He broke off abruptly, shushing her when she began to ask what was wrong.

"…I think it's still here." The dark youth whispered in explanation, Mai holding her breath as she began to hear faint sounds of singing in the background.

…_Strange, why do I suddenly feel so…_

_So tired...?_

A soft thump, followed by a disturbing clatter on the other end of the line ripped the auburn-haired girl from her thoughts.

"Naru!" She called out, more than a little panicked, "What's going on?!"

No response.

"Are you alright?" She tried again, "Can you hear me?!"

It was no use. Hands shaking, Mai pressed the receiver closer, a hauntingly sweet melody filling her ears…

"_Jigggilypuuuuuuuuff, Jigg-i-ly…_"


	6. Life, or Something Like it

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, "life would be a dream, sha-boom!" (I don't own Tattslotto either.)

WARNING Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 6: Life, or Something Like it

"You look terrible."

"Gee, Thanks." Came the sarcastic reply, "I was up half the night finishing an essay. It wouldn't have been so bad if I'd been able to go back to sleep after that scream…"

"Scream?"

"You didn't _hear _it? I swear - you could sleep though a typhoon and barely bat an eyelid…"

Eyes were rolled in exasperation, but the girl continued, unaware of a second set of ears that had perked up at the mention of the word 'scream'. Barely a meter away from the chatting high-schoolers, a charcoal-haired male slid the bridge of his glasses up a fraction, an unnoticed flicker of sunlight reflecting onto one of the girl's backpacks at the motion.

"It was that woman staying with the guy living across the road from us. Mum saw her bashing on his front door like a lunatic – at first she thought they were having a domestic or something, but…"

"But…?" The other teen pressed, her interest captured.

"Well, he seemed really worried and bustled her inside. If they were arguing, you would have thought he'd want to keep her _out_."

"Maybe he didn't want to cause a scene?"

The eavesdropping male didn't need to hear the girl's dry reply to know her opinion on her friend's suggestion – the unladylike snort of disapproval which followed said it all.

"…Bit late for that, I think."

Yasuhara relaxed against the wall, losing interest in the gossipers. It wasn't as if it involved one of S.P.R.'s cases, but paying attention to odd rumours was beginning to become a habit after working with the abnormal group. Of course, not many held much in the way of truth, but the fact that something had caused enough of a ripple in everyday life to create hearsay could often point them towards the cause, and ultimately the solution to a client's problem.

Looking around the Library's entrance, Yasuhara's thoughts returned to his own concerns – such as whether or not Haruka would accept the invitation he'd whispered to her before leaving and giving the brunette a chance to talk to Mai alone. She hadn't said anything to imply prior commitments, but it wasn't like he gave her time to think about it, either.

A sneaking suspicion maintained that giving her his phone number would be to give her an easy way out. All she had to do was message him with an excuse, and her conscience wouldn't be bothered by the idea of standing him up. By not giving her a chance to respond, he had hopefully inspired Haruka's curiosity, leaving the girl debating what to do about him for many hours after the fact.

Letting out a breath he hadn't realised he'd been holding, Yasuhara's gaze settled on a familiar figure making her way through the crowd; honeyed eyes searching him out as she teased at her bottom lip nervously.

Congratulating himself on playing his cards correctly, the youth caught his study partner's attention with a friendly wave as he moved towards her with a smile. For some reason, the look of distrust she shot him in return struck the spectacled boy as being indescribably cute, amusement coursing though him as he greeted the sceptical female.

"Still wondering whether or not to make a run for it?" He observed playfully, noting her faltering steps as they made their way into the building's foyer, the grin on his face in no danger of departing anytime soon. A mixture of astonishment and possibly irritation flashed across her features, hidden quickly as she countered, "Why? _Should_ I be?"

"If Naru doesn't faze you, then I doubt I'm anything to worry about." Yasuhara quipped, voice lowered to match the Library's hushed atmosphere, his eyes full of mischief as Haruka appraised him critically.

"Maybe you're S.P.R.'s dark horse," She mused, a small smirk tugging at her lips, "Wearing a smile as a poker face might suggest your powers are more dangerous."

"My skills are a little more conventional that the others," He admitted, offering her a seat, "But knowledge can be a powerful weapon in the right hands."

Sliding her bag onto the table, Haruka pulled out a selection of books and began pointing out areas she'd 'fallen behind' in, fingers fumbling at the text book's pages under his gaze. Despite the way she'd relaxed during their brief banter, her posture was now rigid, shoulders tense with anxiety. Statements had a tendency to sound like questions; the smile on her face as forced as the girl's descriptions of what had been troubling her about the mathematical formula on page ninety-seven.

If Yasuhara had suspected she was hiding something before, now he _knew _she was.

"Did talking to Mai help?"

Haruka froze instantly, the pen in her hands slipping from grasp and rolling across the table. He caught it before it could fall to the floor, passing it back to the brunette as her eyes finally met his, laced with surprise.

"You're a terrible liar." Yasuhara explained; a teasing lilt to his voice, "I'll admit that I'm curious, but you don't have to talk about it if you don't want to."

Sighing in a mixture of relief and defeat at being caught out, Haruka avoided his gaze, dreading the answer to the question already falling from her lips.

"How long have you known?"

"You didn't exactly look like you were heading to the Library when we first met, but it was your hesitation that gave you away." He supplied, adding on after thought, "If it's any consolation, I'm fairly certain John bought the excuse."

Letting out a brief chuckle at the stupidity of her situation, Haruka began to organise her belongings, shoving them haphazardly into her backpack.

"Sorry for wasting your time, I'll-"

His hand rested lightly on her forearm, effectively halting her speech and movement as their eyes met. The moment between them was so silent, so impeccably still; had she not known better, Haruka might have suspected that time itself had frozen.

Even when his mobile began to ring, drawing the attention of many people around them, Yasuhara's tenacious gaze refused to break with hers.

"…Aren't you going to get that? It might be important." She prompted, wondering not for the first time what he wanted from her. If he had known she was lying in the first place, was it really necessary for him to go to such lengths to prove it?

"I can call them back." He replied, breaking eye contact to silence the ever-growing volume of the phone's ring tone, "Isn't talking to you equally important?"

Unsure of how to respond, Haruka merely relaxed her grip on the bag she had begun hurriedly repacking, confusion and curiosity taking over as she stared at the charcoal-haired teen.

"Though I doubt you need a tutor, that doesn't mean we can't study together." Yasuhara reasoned, leaving his offer open for scrutiny, "Want to try something that's a little bit more challenging?"

-x-

Leaning back in her seat as she returned the phone it's cradle, Mai read though the notes she had quickly jotted down during her conversation with Suzuki-san. It hadn't taken long for the doctors to diagnose her daughter with diabetes, but no one had thought to contact S.P.R. with the news until the chaos had died down and the teenage girl had emerged from her coma. Mai had thanked the woman for updating them on the situation, and reassured her that any forgetfulness was understandable considering the circumstances.

Confident that her notes made sense, the part-timer sent a brief e-mail to Lin on the subject before searching through S.P.R.'s collection of cabinets to add the note to the case's corresponding file, silently hoping that the group of girls who had panicked after playing 'Bloody Mary' hadn't dabbled in anything _else_ potentially dangerous. She'd seen the effects of popular spirit-calling rituals during the investigation at Yasuhara's school, and it was far from pretty. Calling forth a spirit was easy enough, but putting it back where it came from was another matter _entirely_.

Mostly out of habit, Mai moved into the kitchen to brew herself a cup of tea before closing the office for the day, sighing softly as she stared into the wisps of steam beginning to rise from the kettle's spout.

_If only Naru were here…_

Would they continue on from what they were doing before Masako's impromptu visit?

A wave of heat surged through Mai's body at the memory of him; his long arms securing her between himself and the bench, leaving the auburn-haired girl startlingly aware of the rise and fall of her chest as she breathed.

_It should be a crime to be that hot._

Despite her fears of being discovered in such a compromising position, something told Mai that it wouldn't have been long before Naru's skilled fingers all but disposed of her inhibitions. Hell, he could probably do it without even _touching_ her.

The way his darkened blue eyes unashamedly drank in every detail of her body lit a fire that coursed through her veins without mercy, regardless of where they were or how inappropriate the timing may be. Though Lin had surely caught Naru mentally stripping her more times than she cared to recall, the stoic man had yet to comment on the subject, and for that she would be eternally grateful.

_Thank goodness Masako didn't see…_

It was bad enough that the medium had evidently heard the squeak she had made when Naru traced his fingers along the inside of her thigh, but how much would it hurt, seeing the person you liked in such an intimate position with someone else? As it was, Mai wasn't sure Masako would continue to work with them, and despite everything, the doll-like girl was a part of her unofficial family.

_I don't want her to leave because of me._

Glancing at her watch, Mai decisively reached into her bag, claiming a pink mobile phone from it's contents and began searching though her contacts for a certain girl's number. Usually she only called her from S.P.R.'s line when it was necessary, but over time Mai entered all of the team member's details into her mobile just in case. (In other words, Bou-san had been worried about her numerous misadventures, and threatened to tease her relentlessly about her crush on their boss if she didn't take the extra precaution.)

Pressing the phone to her ear, Mai listened to the dial tone with baited breath. Would Masako even answer? She was certainly the last person on the planet that the medium would want to hear from at the moment, but hope dictated that she at least try to fix the broken bridge between them.

"_...Leave your name and number, and I will contact you at my earliest convenience. Thank you."_

The short 'beep' that followed sent the butterflies in Mai's stomach into overdrive, unsure of whether it would be better to leave a message, or simply try again later. Nervousness made the decision for her however, and she found her voice hastily responding to the waiting recording device.

"Masako…? It's Mai." She choked out, suddenly made aware that she'd been holding her breath since pressing the 'call' button, "I understand if you don't want to talk to me right now, but I just wanted you to know that…"

Pausing mid-sentence, the part-timer wondered at her reasons for contacting the girl she had once seen as competition for Naru's hard-earned affection, and attempted to organise her thoughts.

_What should I say?_

There were so many things, but it seemed to the brunette that only one of them really mattered.

"…Even though we're rivals, I've always considered you a friend."

-x-

Kazuo breathed a sigh of relief, leaning down to pick up a novel that had fallen from his sister's hands as she slept. Had she intended to read all night in order to prevent herself from dreaming?

_After what happened this morning, I can't say I blame her. _

He hadn't liked leaving her behind. True, it wasn't like he really had much of a choice, particularly when his sister had so stubbornly insisted that she would be fine on her own, and well, work was _work_. Due to Cho's circumstances, her boss had been very understanding; relieved even, to hear that she was finally taking some time off.

Kazuo highly doubted that _his_ employer would feel the same way.

He supposed he might have been over-reacting when he'd phoned up to check on her during his lunch break, but it wasn't every day that your sister locked themselves out of the house while sleepwalking. At first he'd been worried about her turning into an insomniac, but now he was concerned about what she might do if she _did _fall asleep.

Just how traumatic had her dreams been of late? Maruyama had warned him about the destroyed mirror she'd seen in Cho's bathroom, but he hadn't given it much thought until today. The stress she was under must be far worse than he had imagined.

Tenderly brushing back a stray strand of hair from his sister's face, he whispered, "It's okay to need help once in a while, Cho. Life isn't easy."

He stood up silently, trying not to wake her as he moved towards the door, taking a moment to glance back over his shoulder at her prone form.

"…Crazy or not, just know I'll always be here for you."

She shifted under the bed sheets, and for a moment Kazuo was worried he'd woken her.

"I-it would be better…if I _was_ crazy."

…_What?!_

Frozen in place by her mumbled words, confusion etched itself upon his features. Was she talking in her sleep, or had he stupidly disturbed her once she'd finally managed to get some rest?

"…Is being sane really so bad?" He found himself asking, since this was the first time Cho had voluntarily brought up her feelings of late, despite calling on him for help.

"It is if you're…"

Kazuo strained to hear what followed, but to no avail. She had either ceased speaking entirely, or her pillow had muffled the sentence's conclusion. Unnerved by the silence, he tried again.

"Cho…? It is if you're 'what'?"

The corner of her mouth twitched upwards in a rueful smile.

"Haunted…"

-x-

_**Omake:**_

Leaning back on her bed, Mai returned the phone it's cradle, glaring at the infernal object for good measure. As she suspected, no sooner than she had put it down, the incessant ringing started up again.

Mai ignored it.

Well, she _tried_ to ignore it. Just how long was it supposed to take for a phone call to ring out, anyway? Giving in to irritation, the auburn-haired girl picked up the receiver and promptly hung up on the caller's behalf. Maybe that would be the end of it?

It _wasn't_.

This time Mai hung up immediately, slamming the phone down with increasing annoyance. As if protesting the harsh treatment, the generally harmless household appliance screamed revenge, and resumed ringing once more.

Enough was enough! It was time to end this exercise in futility! Without giving the caller a chance to speak, she yelled into phone, "Bou-san, if you prank-call me one more time, I swear I'll…I'll…"

What would unnerve the monk more than anything else? If she had any serious dirt on him, the logical threat would be to tell either Ayako or…

An evil look spread like wildfire across the young woman's face as inspiration struck. "I'll tell Yasuhara you're gay!"

Silence met her ears with startling clarity, only broken by a scarily familiar, irritated sigh.

_Crap… _

Of all the people to hang up on, why did it have to be her _boss_?

"…I would highly suggest getting caller I.D."


	7. Knocking On SPR's Door

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, I would love my job almost as much as my awesome new computer.

*WARNING* Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 7: Knocking on S.P.R's Door

"...How is he?"

Slender fingers anxiously tucked a stray wisp of dark strawberry-blonde hair behind a free ear, the other pinned to a phone clutched tightly in her opposing hand. Even if patience _had_ been her precious student's forte (which it certainly wasn't), knowing how close he and Lin were to finding Gene, yet being unable to do anything other than watch as two years worth of silt was pumped from the waterbed must be pure torture.

_Noll deals with feeling useless almost as well as he deals with being _wrong_..._

"Not good," The ill-fated guardian admitted with a composure he probably didn't feel, "But better than I expected."

Madoka felt a smile tug at her lips, speculating that Mai's daily reports had probably 'soothed the savage beast' to some extent. Lin may not have directly _told _her anything regarding the teenage genius and his cheerful assistant's budding relationship, but she was a smart woman and knew when to read between the lines.

"Martin and Luella have been a little distracted since your last phone call, but for the most part, I think they're more concerned about whether or not Noll will be able to put Gene's death behind him."

Thoughtful silence swallowed any insight he may have provided on the ghost hunter's emotional progress, the Chinese man's slow, worn-out sigh merely mirroring her own hopes and fears.

"How do you think the Professor and his wife might react…" He breathed hesitantly, pausing to debate the wisdom of completing his sentence, "If Naru wished to stay in Japan?"

Madoka blinked, momentarily stunned by the simple question. For some reason, even though she had long been aware of the possibility, hearing it said aloud stirred mixed feelings within her.

_If Noll stays, then so will Lin._

"…Because of Mai?"

The words, tainted by childish resentment, left a bitter aftertaste as they rolled from the strawberry-blonde's lips; shame quickly overshadowing the pang of jealousy that had unexpectedly gripped her heart.

"Mai is part of the reason." Lin conceded; the subtle, but clearly defensive lilt in his voice causing her to wonder what had startled him more – her awareness that Oliver Davis actually _had_ a love-life, or the tone of voice she'd used. Either option was plausible, but somehow the latter seemed far more likely.

"Whether he chooses to acknowledge it or not, he's made friends here, Madoka."

There was no need for his gentle reprimand – she was well-aware that her remark reeked of selfish motivation, but was it really such a crime to want to be with the man you loved?

_Not that you've ever told him…_

Her consciousness whispered; taunting her with possibilities she didn't have the heart to face.

_...Coward._

Madoka hung her head in defeat, silently admitting it was true. She just didn't have the courage to risk losing the bond between them by asking for more. It was too easy to imagine things going back to the way they were before – he'd barely even registered her presence.

"Madoka...?" Lin's worried voice echoed through the phone, pulling the strawberry blonde from her thoughts; "Is something wrong?"

"Ah! No, I'm fine." She assured him, even though his doubtful silence made it clear that he didn't believe a word, "I was just thinking about what you said."

It was true, in an unconventional sense. Her thoughts had inadvertently led her to an answer to his previous question, since she felt the way Noll's parents might react may not differ too much from her own.

"After waiting so long for Noll to come home, it will definitely hurt them…"

_Just like it hurts me to think that you might not be coming home._

"…But I think it would hurt more if he keeps quiet about what he wants for their sake." She advised, hoping her voice didn't waver and make him suspicious enough to see through her words, exposing the feelings she had long kept hidden in her heart.

_If you wish to stay, I won't stop you, but..._

"Martin and Luella love him and want the best for him, so I'm sure things will turn out okay." She concluded with a pathetic attempt at a smile, wishing not for the first time that Lin had been born a telepath.

…_Don't just stay for Noll's sake._

-x-

Looking down at the hastily scribbled address in his hands, Kazuo was beginning to wonder if he was in the right place. He wasn't sure what he _had _expected Shibuya Psychic Research's office to look like, but this definitely wasn't it. The building was far too _normal_. The pale yellow, modern exterior didn't stand out even remotely from any of the surrounding businesses, and it was easy to imagine someone mistakenly wandering in expecting to find an accountant or an administrator of some kind.

If it weren't for the company's name displayed in elegant English letters on the front door's tinted window, Kazuo would have walked away without a second glance.

_Maybe this isn't such a good idea..._

Originally, he would have happily dragged his sister into town and left her with a good psychologist for a few hours, but entirely apart from how much of a disaster it had been the last time he'd broached the subject with Cho, recent events were beginning to make him question the assumptions he'd made. Maybe she really _was _haunted.

_I was too quick to judge..._

_At the very least, she's family, and deserves to be given the benefit of a doubt._

From what he had heard, S.P.R was reputable, though their members were considered to be an odd assortment, even among their own field of expertise. The popular medium, Masako Hara, was probably the only addition to the team that raised eyebrows for the right reasons (such as her fame and appearance), rather than for oddity's sake.

He'd heard about them from a colleague at work, having gone drinking with the restless man while his daughter's school was being investigated. While neither of them were totally sold on the existence of ghosts, it was undeniably true that many strange things had been going on, and S.P.R. had stopped them without encouraging hysteria or exploiting the situation for media attention.

Determined to get some answers, he'd rashly looked up their name in the phone book during his lunch break, unable to stand the thought of worrying about Cho's recent behaviour any longer.

With one last brief glance at the initials on the glass, he hesitantly pushed open the door, preparing himself for the worst. Once again he was surprised by the office's lack of eccentricities, his eyes finally coming to rest on an auburn-haired girl sitting at a receptionist's desk, eyebrows knitted together in concentration as she worked. Presumably in her late teens, her clothing suggested she was a friendly, approachable sort, and failing all else, wasn't covered in unique piercings or spider-web tattoos. Since she had yet to notice him, Kazuo cleared his throat, stepping towards her.

"Excuse me; I'd like to make an appointment..."

Cinnamon eyes shot towards him in surprise, the folder she had been studying so intently slipping from her grasp, some of the sheets escaping across her desk while others fluttered indifferently to the floor. Leaning down to retrieve the papers closest to him, he offered the elusive sheets back to the girl, unable to ignore how pale her face suddenly seemed and the slight tremble of her fingertips as she accepted the remainder of the file from his hands.

"Are you alright? You look like you've..."

_...Seen a ghost._

The common phrase died on his lips as he realised it's irony, but the shaky quirk of a smile on the girl's face suggested she knew what he had been about to say. She bowed politely, colour slowly returning to her cheeks as she introduced herself.

"I'm Taniyama Mai. Sorry if I worried you! I can't believe I didn't notice you enter..."

"Hayashi Kazuo." He returned respectfully, privately wondering if there might be more to the brunette's initial reaction than she was letting on, "It happens to the best of us."

_Surely someone who hunts ghosts for a living wouldn't be so easily startled, right?_

"So, how can I help you?"

The simple question cut through his thoughts, dredging up memories of Cho's most recent incident. This time he'd woken up just after three in the morning, the sound of running water infiltrating his dreams before making him aware of it's presence in reality. The image of her shivering as she knelt in water overflowing from the sink, eyes blank and unseeing while she fiercely scrubbed her skin raw was still fresh in his mind.

_I'm not sure how much more either of us can take…_

"My sister..." He rasped out, the words caught in his throat, "I'm here on behalf of my sister. Strange things have been happening..."

Grabbing a slim, black note book with a matching pen, Taniyama guided him towards the seating area, gently asking if he'd like something to drink as he settled down on the nearest couch. Accepting coffee, Kazuo watched absent-mindedly as she made her way to the kitchen, trying to fathom how such a sweet young girl had managed to get herself mixed up in such an odd profession.

_There are all types of people in this world, I suppose._

Returning with the drink, she sat down opposite him, giving him time to collect himself before he continued on with his story.

"I received a worrying phone call from Cho a few days ago…" Kazuo began, feeling a weight he didn't realise he'd been carrying lift from his shoulders as the words tumbled from his mouth, "A neighbour, Maruyama-san, got her to contact me after finding her sitting outside her apartment, bleeding and refusing to step so much as a foot back inside. The mirror in her bathroom was shattered, and though I'm not entirely clear on what happened, it seems to have something to do with her dreams."

For a moment, he saw Taniyama's hand draw still over the page she wrote on, but her expression changed too quickly for him to determine if there was any special meaning behind the action.

_It's probably nothing..._

"Yesterday morning seems to be the first time she's allowed herself to sleep since I took her home to stay with me, and I woke up to find her locked outside and completely hysterical. At first I thought the stress of her broken marriage was the problem, but now I'm not so sure…"

Kazuo ran a frustrated hand through his hair as he confessed, "Last night she confided in me..."

The words stuck in his throat, but he knew there was no turning back.

"She told me that she's being haunted. Cho actually _wished _she was insane." Swallowing hard, he shakily reached for his half-empty coffee cup, staring through the inanimate object as if it didn't exist.

"Around three this morning, I found her kneeling in water, trying to scrub her skin off. I don't know _what's_ going on anymore…"

Exhaustion settled in quickly as Kazuo shed the emotional burden he'd been carrying for the last few days, and he shut his eyes for a moment, sinking deeper into the back of the couch.

"Has she mentioned who, or what she believes is haunting her...?" Mai inquired delicately, her cinnamon eyes filled with empathy, quietly yet constantly appraising him as they spoke, "Any details about what she's been experiencing?"

"She did mention something about Yutaka, her husband, but I was pressing her to talk about what had happened in her apartment at the time. She probably only said it because she knew I'd back off..."

He hung his head in self disgust, ashamed that his sister had felt the need to go to such lengths.

_...She knew I wouldn't believe her._

-x-

Steel blue eyes stared blankly at the hotel room's cream-coloured walls, subconsciously drawn in the direction of the lake hiding his twin's remains. Fingers itching with impatience, he'd begun rummaging around for something to occupy himself, eventually stumbling across a worn pack of playing cards in one of the bedside draws.

In the absence of anything better to do, the slightly warped stack of fifty-two provided a welcome distraction; his nerves strangely comforted as he numbly turned the cards with his thumb and index finger. For so long, all he had cared about was finding Gene, no matter what the cost, giving little to no thought to the way his actions might affect others.

Looking back, it was a wonder his parents had let him leave England in the first place, let alone support his decision. He and Gene were not their biological children, but it was plain to see that grief did not discriminate between the bonds of blood and love when it came to the loss of a son.

_Yet I left them to pick up the pieces alone..._

A soft melody sprung to life in the pocket of his discarded black coat, temporarily diverting Naru's self-destructive train of thought. Reaching for the source of the sound, alarm bells went off in the genius's head when he noted the three capital letters lighting up his mobile's screen, clearly reading 'S.P.R.'. Mai didn't usually call until she was closing up the office, and that was at least an hour away.

All too aware of the trouble his precious part-timer was capable of getting into whenever she was left to her own devices, Naru answered in record speed.

"Mai?"

The girl in question stuttered slightly in response, clearly startled by the urgency in his voice.

"Ah, y-yes...I-I, um, I just..." She paused briefly to collect herself and quickly supplied, "Is it alright if I finish early on Saturday? H-Haruka asked me if I could help her with something..."

Naru arched an eyebrow, breathing a sigh of relief as he settled back on the bed, absently staring down at the disarray that still vaguely resembled his game of Patience. Perhaps not being able to personally keep an eye on her was making him a little paranoid.

"That should be fine," He consented, giving a subconscious nod, "If there's an emergency I can always phone your mobile."

Suddenly recalling the last time he'd tried, Naru added, "Make sure it's fully charged and _don't_ leave it behind – it defeats the purpose of having one if no one can contact you."

"Yes, _boss_." Mai's voice echoed sarcastically back at him, though her retort seemed to lack it's usual passion, and instead of grumbling under her breath about whatever had possessed her to like such an arrogant narcissist, she lapsed into distracted silence.

He didn't have to be a genius to know that something was wrong.

"Naru..." Mai breathed hesitantly, "I think there's a case you might want to take a look at. The client came to see us on behalf of his sister, so I'm a bit short on information, but..." She halted, uncertainty dampening her courage.

"...But?" He reiterated, prompting her to keep going. If the potential case was bothering her as much as it seemed to be, then that alone made him curious. While he didn't like to make a habit of depending on them, Mai's instincts were uncannily accurate.

_It's not like I have anything better to do with my time right now, anyway._

"When I saw his face, it felt like something inside me froze." She explained, struggling to find the right words, "It felt like I recognised him, even though I'm sure I've never met the man before. For a moment I thought I was going to be sick..."

"Read out the notes you've taken to me and send a copy of the file to Lin's e-mail address," He ordered, deciding it was better to be safe than sorry, "If necessary, I'll take care of the rest from here."

As she read, he re-wrote her notes out in English, saving himself the trouble of having to wait for Lin to translate the kanji for him. He could understand why Mai had been reluctant to tell him about the case when so much of the information lacked the sister's side of the story, but the woman's actions didn't seem to match the most probable explanation.

Secretive, panicked behaviour and sleepwalking could easily be attributed to a traumatic experience, but Naru doubted the problem stemmed from her husband leaving her. The woman's terror at the prospect of re-entering her apartment combined with the way she'd tried to clean herself suggested something more along the lines of assault or possibly rape.

…_Survivor's guilt, perhaps?_

Feeling responsible for someone's death would account for her firm belief that she was haunted, but it didn't explain Mai's adverse reaction to her brother.

"What's the contact number?"

Sucking in a quick breath, Mai answered hastily; as if afraid he might change his mind - Naru could almost see the sweet brunette crossing her fingers as she spoke, itching to ask whether or not he would take the case.

"For the moment, just keep me informed of any new developments," He advised, setting the notes aside on the bedside table, "I'll let you know if I want to take any further action."

"Okay." She sighed, her relief loosening the tension that had been steadily gathering between his shoulder blades since he and Lin had set out to find Gene for what would hopefully be the last time. Closing his eyes, Naru allowed himself a moment of peace, blocking out everything but the sound of Mai's breath and the slight rustle of her clothes as she moved.

"…I miss you."

The whispered confession drew an instant smile to his lips, quickly turning into a smirk as he gave the classic answer.

"I know."

Expecting the response, she scolded playfully, "Narcissist…"

"_Your _narcissist." He clarified huskily, fingers unconsciously gripping the edge of the bed as a familiar surge of warmth flooded his chest and worked it's way through the rest of his body. Saying he missed her didn't cover the _half_ of it.

An enthusiastic burst of noise from Mai's end of the line heralded the arrival of what could only be members of S.P.R.'s irregular crew, the monk's greeting clearly discernable over the other muffled voices colliding in the background. Aware that subtlety wasn't high on the group's list of priorities, Naru reluctantly indicated that he should go, recognising that any further conversation was essentially futile.

"…Stay safe." He breathed; the simple request resonating with deep, genuine concern.

"I'll try."

Unsure whether to be worried or relieved by Mai's impish reply, he lingered for a moment longer, savouring the connection between them even as he pulled away to end the call. It was good to hear her voice, but the sooner he had her back in his arms, the better.

_Heaven help anyone foolish enough to interrupt us then..._

Hot, heady memories and desires stirred the blood pulsing heavily within his veins, taunting him with the knowledge of what he possessed, but could not currently obtain. Pushing aside the images of his alluring assistant in the hopes of avoiding the need for a cold shower (and the potential embarrassment of Lin walking in and seeing him lost in sexual fantasy), Naru firmly redirected his attention to the notes at his side.

Though difficult at first, re-examining the dictated scrawls eventually cooled the heat that had once threatened to overwhelm him; pride ensuring that every element of the case be committed to memory, as even the most trivial of details could quickly become a stumbling block if overlooked.

The only issue remaining was whether or not the sister would be willing to talk about her experiences – she certainly hadn't been forthcoming with her brother, but perhaps that was the very thing that gave her claim weight. Disbelief and denial often followed an encounter with anything unfamiliar, so she would have tried to rationalise the dreams at first. It was hardly surprising that the woman had been reluctant to tell anyone if she was having trouble accepting it herself.

Pulling back the cuff of his sleeve, Naru glanced at his watch and began dialling the number Mai had supplied. Listening to the repetitive ring tone, he leaned back against the wooden bed head and waited, expecting to have to leave a message when the call remained unanswered at first.

"Hello?" A feminine voice interrupted the monotony, momentarily surprising the paranormal investigator. Double-checking the mobile number he'd rung, Naru introduced himself, presenting his purpose.

"…I was hoping to speak to a man named Kazuo Hayashi about a case he presented to my assistant earlier today. Would you be his sister, Cho Sasaki, by any chance?"

There was a slight pause before the woman answered, suspicion and uncertainty lacing her tone.

"Y-yes. I can get my brother to phone you back in a moment if you like."

"That may not be necessary." Naru dismissed, explaining briefly, "Since Hayashi-san came to us on your behalf, he was unable to provide a detailed account of your recent dreams and experiences. I need to know what I'm dealing with in order to properly consider his request."

She seemed to process the information slowly, clearly stunned by his words.

"…Kazuo came to you?"

Managing to bite back a sarcastic answer, Naru's eyes narrowed in considerable irritation as he made his reply as emotionless as possible.

"Yes."

_Is that really so hard to understand?_

Finally breaking the prevailing silence, the woman apologised for wasting his time, explaining that she had also consulted someone who dealt with problems like hers and hadn't gotten around to telling her brother yet.

"…I didn't realise how worried I'd made him." She mused, thanking the ghost hunter with an air of superficiality as she hung up, leaving Naru frowning at the unexpected turn of events.

_Why do I feel like I've just been lied to?_

-x-

_**Omake:**_

Grimacing at the initials on the glass, Naru hesitantly pushed open the door, preparing for the worst as his gaze came to rest on the auburn-haired girl sitting at the receptionist's desk, eyebrows knitted together in concentration as she worked. Since she and the small group of socialites gathered in the lounge area had yet to notice him, the black-clad teen mentally crossed his fingers and strode towards his office as quickly as possible.

Apparently, it wasn't quick enough.

"Yo, Naru-bou!"

Tensing instantly at the monk's welcome, Naru froze like a deer in headlights when Mai's cinnamon eyes shot towards him, widening in surprise as she stared open-mouthed at his face.

While it was hardly unusual for the girl to stare at her handsome boss, there was usually a little more admiration, and a little less shock in her gaze, so it was only natural that her startled reaction drew the instant attention of those relaxing in the couches nearby.

The medium narrowed her gaze at her rival before stealing a curious glance at the object of their affections and paling considerably; the priest looked towards the doll-like medium in concern, holding back a grin when he saw what had caused her to pale; the intelligent third year's interest was sparked, but his mirth seemed primarily drawn from the fiery red-head that looked ready to kill the clearly oblivious monk, who had continued talking and didn't notice a thing until the folder Mai had been studying slipped unceremoniously from her fingers, sheets escaping across her desk and fluttering indifferently to the floor.

Throughout all of the chaos, Naru stood stock still; violently hoping Lin would walk through the door and serve as a distraction, giving him a chance to escape Mai's wide-eyed stare and whatever sentence her gaping mouth was trying so hard to form.

"P-pink..."

The single word that finally slipped from the brunette's lips caused the heat already emitted from Naru's reddened features to reach a considerably more painful level, and for a split-second he was almost grateful that his mentor had forced him to 'get out and have fun for once'. Then again, if it wasn't for Modoka's insistence that he begrudgingly spend some time in the sun, he would never have been in this predicament in the _first_ place.

Retaining what was left of his dignity, Naru spared a moment to glare in warning at the room's inhabitants, disappearing into the sanctity of his office with a sharp slam.

Stunned, Takigawa pointed towards the recently closed door in mild astonishment.

"Am I imagining things, or did Naru just _blush_?"

"You could tell through the sunburn?" The spectacled boy quipped with a grin; amused even further when Ayako chimed in, unable to resist a chance to get back at the monk.

"My, someone's been paying an abnormal amount of attention to their boss..."

Wailing in accusation, Yasuhara brought a hand up to his heart in mock agony, "Bou-san, how _could _you?! I thought_ I_ was your one and only!"


	8. The Awaited Call

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the show/manga. If I did, I could probably go to the dentist without worrying about how much it will cost.

*WARNING* Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 8: The Awaited Call

Sharply pulling away as her brother's phone clattered unsteadily to the hard surface of the kitchen bench, Cho's trembling hands clenched in white fists at her side. She had been far too careless, and somehow Kazuo had put enough pieces of the puzzle together to conclude it was necessary to contact a _paranormal investigator_.

Had he seen something and not told her?

_...How much does he know?_

The panic already coursing through her system reached new heights as the sound of footsteps echoed softly down the hallway, growing louder with every step. Afraid to turn around even as they paused quietly behind her, Cho poured her fears into the anger awakening steadily within her at Kazuo's ignorant betrayal.

_How dare he interfere!_

"Cho?" Her sibling's voice ventured anxiously, "Are you feeling okay?"

_No. No, I'm not._

She spun to face him, eyes flashing dangerously despite her frail appearance.

"I'd feel a lot better if my brother wasn't hiding things from me." She challenged hypocritically, ignoring her long-buried conscience turning fitfully in it's grave, "Is there a reason you didn't tell me you were going to ask psychic researchers for help?"

Glancing guiltily at the mobile phone just beyond her reach, Kazuo grimaced as he realised what must have happened.

"I'm sorry. After what you said last night..."

"Last night?" She interrupted, dread pooling in the pit of her stomach as she skimmed through her memories, searching for anything she might have said that could have prompted such a response, but nothing came to mind.

_...Don't tell me I was talking in my sleep!_

Numbly stumbling backwards in shock, she leant on the bench, avoiding her brother's concerned gaze as he haltingly repeated back snippets of their conversation in the hopes of jogging her memory.

She supposed it could have been worse. If he had no knowledge of the dark-haired boy or what she had done, then maybe everything would be fine.

"Cho, at some point you're going to have to realise that you need help." Kazuo urged, determined to get through to her, "If not a psychic researcher, then a counsellor or a psychologist - eventually your annual leave is going to run out, and you'll have to go back to work. You can't just stay with me and hide from your problems forever."

Cursing whatever weakness had led her to get her brother involved; she met his resolution with pure hostility.

"You want me to see a _shrink_?"

"I'd _like _you to be able to sleep without worrying about where you might wake up," He corrected, over articulating his words in attempt to control his growing frustration, "And I believe talking to a professional would help."

"I've never felt comfortable talking to people like that, and you know it." She spat back in accusation, locking her gaze with his in a battle of wills, "Sorry for worrying you, but plenty of people sleepwalk, and I feel that this is something I need to handle on my own."

Kazuo's expression darkened at her stubborn defiance, silently reminding her that _she _was the one who had phoned him when she had been too terrified to enter her own house. The mere fact that she had chosen to stay with him, even going as far to avoid her problems by forgoing sleep, contradicted her protests with more efficiency than any argument he could offer.

"What am I supposed to do?" He growled, rashly lashing out at her in anger, "If this is how you push away anyone who tries to care about you, then it's no wonder Yutaka left!"

Too stunned to speak, Cho blinked away the tears rapidly clouding her vision, barely registering the horrified expression her brother wore as she shakily strode past him, systematically gathering up her things as his mouth opened and shut, trying desperately to form an apology.

"I-I'm sorry!" He finally choked out, eyes begging for forgiveness, "I didn't mean it!"

Hand already on the door knob, Cho stilled at his words, refusing to look at him as she whispered her reply.

"Yes, you did."

The door fell closed behind her, leaving Kazuo feeling weak-kneed and sick in stomach. Yutaka was a forbidden topic, and being fully aware of that he had said something so vindictive and heartless.

Guilt plagued him as he grabbed his keys and quickly locked up the house, running to start the car in the hope that he could convince Cho to at least let him give her a lift somewhere.

Spotting her distraught form easily, he pulled in beside her, calling out as he crept forward, constantly adjusting his speed to match her pace.

"...Please, Cho. Just get in." He pleaded wearily, gutted by the sight of the smeared tears marring her face, "I'll take you wherever you want to go."

Though she ignored him and continued to walk, he persistently followed, resolving to follow her the entire way home if necessary. Clearly growing irritated, she stopped unexpectedly, causing him to slam on the breaks in surprise before swinging open the car door in invitation.

"...I won't bother you anymore, I promise." He offered, willing to do just about anything to atone for his earlier offense. Wordlessly, she gave him her bags and climbed into the passenger seat, merely nodding when he asked if she wanted to go home.

The trip passed in complete silence, only broken by Kazuo when he uttered a final word of farewell as Cho disappeared across the threshold of her apartment without so much as a backwards glance.

Not even bothering to turn on the lights, she threw her luggage on the couch that still occupied what she had once considered the safest part of the house, blindly making her way down the corridor, carelessly kicking aside anything that got in the way of her and her bed.

_It doesn't matter where I go..._

_Nowhere is safe._

-x-

Against her better judgement, Haruka's mind kept drifting back to a certain spectacled boy; embarrassed that his laughing eyes had seen straight through her, yet some part of her felt relieved and possibly even pleased by his insight.

_Of course I feel relieved...!_

She scolded herself, suddenly wishing to hide underneath the closest available rock. Yasuhara appeared to have overlooked her strange behaviour at the Library, but the chocolate-haired girl knew better that to assume she knew what was going on behind his jovial mask.

_Why did I do I always do this?! I should have just told him and John the truth from start._

Though there were times when she simply couldn't help it, Haruka had always hated letting others see the more vulnerable aspects of her psyche. She wasn't sure if it was a matter of pride, or merely self-preservation, but feeling the need to make up excuses simply because Mai had been temporarily unavailable made her feel a little stupid.

_...I'm just afraid of getting hurt, aren't I?_

Why was it that so many of her actions led back to an irrational fear of being alone? Ironically, the same insecurity that strived to protect her from that underlying fear also reinforced her likelihood of _being_ alone – a self fulfilling prophecy.

Pushing aside the depressing dilemma, Haruka packed away her finished homework and slumped on her bed with a book, only to get up again when her phone started ringing.

"Hey, Mai." She greeted sluggishly, recognising the number, "Did you get the okay for Saturday?"

"Yep!" The part-timer confirmed, "Want to meet up at the station, or S.P.R.?"

"S.P.R. is fine."

In the background, Haruka swore she heard a disturbingly familiar voice tease, "Planning on eloping with Naru so soon, Mai?"

Much to her amusement and Mai's displeasure, the orphan's brotherly-figure started to howl, "Noooooooooo! My little girl is becoming a _woman_!"

Apparently the miko was also present, since the monk's last words died with an abrupt yelp of pain.

"Thanks Ayako!" Mai called out, returning her attention to the phone, "Sorry about that. Yasuhara and Bou-san tend to bring out _the worst_ in each other."

Though she had already begun to suspect her recent study partner was the owner of the 'familiar voice', Haruka's heart began to pound a little harder in her chest.

"Yasuhara's there?" She repeated dumbly, berating herself for asking such an obvious and irrelevant question.

"Hmm?" Mai mused, eyebrows raised in surprise as she answered, "Yeah – is something the matter?"

"No! Nothing at all!" The flustered teen assured with a little too much enthusiasm, feeling her cheeks flame with embarrassment as she hurriedly ended the call, "I'll see you on Saturday then. Bye, Mai!"

Hanging up before the part-timer had a chance to interrogate her, Haruka fell back on the bed in mortification, attempting to will her erratic heart and overheated face back into submission.

_What the hell is wrong with me?!_

-x-

Looking up through tinted windows, the celebrity medium noted the lack of light coming from S.P.R.'s mustard coloured building, surprised to see the office empty, despite how late in the evening it was. There were times when it seemed like Naru and Lin lived there, rather than in any apartment.

_...Mai's doing, again?_

Masako pondered, heart sinking at the thought. Whether she liked to admit it or not, that girl just had a way with people. As her eyes drifted towards the small pouch containing her mobile phone, the traditionally dressed teen wondered if she too, had been branded by Mai's influence.

"_Even though we're rivals, I've always considered you a friend."_

Well, they weren't rivals anymore. Maybe they never truly had been – looking back, Masako had always known that Naru wasn't truly interested in her. So why had she persisted to chase the elusive man's guarded heart, taunting the auburn-haired girl with the farce?

_Was I so desperate to find a place to belong?_

A place S.P.R. had so conveniently provided?

_Yes._

Things like 'friendship' and 'love' were expensive luxuries, and required constant vigilance in her line of business. In such a competitive world, people who normally wouldn't look twice at you latched on like leeches, hoping to gain fame and fortune – trusting the wrong person could lead to public humiliation and the invasion of what little privacy a celebrity had left.

The moment she recognised 'Shibuya Kazuya' as Oliver Davis, Masako felt that she had found a kindred spirit – someone who understood the burden that came with fame, and out of desperation, she had clung to him by whatever means necessary. Though the feeling was hardly mutual on his behalf, he had allowed her his company and respected her talents as a medium, allowing the feeble seed of hope to grow inside her pitiful heart.

'_Maybe he will grow to love me.'_

She had once thought, sneaking a glance at the enigma sitting beside her, picturing how well their status and talents complemented each other.

'_Maybe he will see how well we fit together.'_

It was just another of a long string of 'maybes' that would never come true. Mai, in all her naive innocence and honesty had captured his heart with relative ease, regardless of whether he knew it or not. The intimate atmosphere that the two created without even trying had always annoyed Masako in the past, especially the way Mai took it for granted.

Didn't she realise how much she influenced his actions? Even when they were arguing, the way he seemed to find it necessary to _touch_ her?

The unspoken bond between them often left the medium feeling moderately ill, jealousy churning in her stomach every time she was reminded of the differences in the way Naru interacted with herself and the part-timer. It simply wasn't _fair_ that the oblivious brunette could obtain everything Masako wished for so easily. People opened up to the girl like books; making new (and highly loyal) friends was as natural as breathing for Mai.

If it was indeed possible to both like and hate someone at the same time, the medium could only describe her bizarre relationship with the dedicated optimist in such a way.

Drawing a breath in silent decision, Masako pressed a button on a small panel at her side, opening the barrier between herself and the driver.

"...I'd like to make a detour."

Leaning back in her seat after informing the chauffer of their destination, the conflicted celebrity fidgeted nervously with the fabric of her kimono. Would dropping by unannounced be a bother?

Taking a deep breath, Masako turned her gaze towards the window, mesmerised by the buildings, people and numerous lights flickering in and out of her field of vision. She knew it was pointless to worry about what kind of welcome might await her, or what advice she might receive if she was brave enough to hear it, but all the level-headed arguments in the world couldn't still the frantic butterflies dancing away in her stomach.

Barely registering her surroundings by the time the car finally pulled to a stop, Masako flinched in alarm when the sound of her driver's voice broke the silence, a startled squeak escaping her lips at his polite announcement of their arrival. Attempting to cover her embarrassment with an elegant smile of thanks, the young woman collected herself and began to walk down the tidy garden path that led to the home of S.P.R.'s catholic priest, hoping for the sake of her already injured pride that the blue-eyed blonde was even _there_ in the first place.

Bringing her hand up to the door bell with trepidation in her heart, she closed her eyes and hurriedly pushed the button, cementing her course of action before she had a chance to change her mind. It would be improper and cowardly to walk away now, and Masako had been raised to be neither.

Soon enough, the door opened, rewarding her with John's friendly countenance, despite his obvious surprise at her urge to seek him out. (The recipe book he'd been holding open against his arm had almost taken a swan dive, but he managed to save it just in time.)

"I have a confession to make." She explained to the priest with a vulnerable smile, "...You seemed like the obvious choice."

-x-

Lin knew better than anybody that Naru had never been a 'morning person'. That didn't mean he was incapable of waking early, just that if he had a choice in the matter, he'd quite happily sleep past ten.

It was due to this knowledge that when the Chinese man groggily opened his eyes and saw Naru working diligently away on his laptop, he quickly double checked the time, confirming that it truly _was _just after seven-twenty like he thought.

Given their current situation, Lin began to suspect that the young man had forgone sleep again, but judging from the second bed's rumpled sheets and the moderately groggy expression on his companion's face, Naru had probably only been awake for about an hour.

"Do we have a case that I'm not aware of?" He inquired, cocking an eyebrow as he abandoned the warmth of his bed and peered over the teen's shoulder, "You'd have a lot less trouble if you took the time to learn kanji..."

Ignoring the remark, Naru took a sip of what was probably lukewarm tea and continued to read.

_...Brat._

Pulling his suitcase from the wardrobe and removing a clean set of clothes, Lin spared a glance at his smirking friend, wondering briefly if Mai knew what she was getting herself into. He'd known Naru since he was a kid and he _still _didn't know what to do with him.

Admittedly he was easier to read when the more forthcoming of the telepathic twins had been able to act as an interpreter. Though Gene never tried to explain his brother's behaviour, his reactions to whatever had been said or done spoke volumes to any keen observer - when the bond between the siblings had been severed, so had Naru's connection with the rest of the world.

The million dollar question on Lin's mind right now was just what exactly the withdrawn teen intended to do once all of this was over. Would he return to England, go to Oxford and resume the life that had been abandoned in their search for Gene?

_For a while, perhaps..._

Lin couldn't see it lasting long, however. There was little that could dissuade him once Naru had made up his mind, so no matter how much he might feel he owed it to his parents to pretend things could go back to the way they had been before, his heart and his mind would eventually agree that it was impossible. 'Oliver Davis' had been cast away too easily, and had slowly but surely turned into 'Shibuya Kazuya', an existence that Lin suspected could not be so easily dismissed.

What might occur where Mai was concerned was anybody's guess, but the Chinese guardian assured himself that Naru rarely acted without a plan.

_Though anything Mai-related is usually the exception to that rule..._

Bringing his fingers up to his brow, Lin attempted to rid some of the tension from his forehead, sighing in resignation as he picked up the hotel phone and ordered up some breakfast.

_That boy is going to be the death of me._

-x-

"They're _what_?!"

"You heard me. They're looking for a corpse."

"...I think I'm going to be sick."

Ignoring the antics of the growing group of spectators that had gathered around the disturbance he and Lin had unintentionally instigated, Naru stared blankly at the deceptively tranquil lake, watching the ripples caused by the diver's movements. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see his guardian casting yet another troubled glance in his direction. He'd been doing that all morning, and it was starting to get on the disgruntled teen's nerves. This time, Naru answered Lin with a look of his own.

_If you want to know something, ask me already._

Frowning at the wordless challenge, Lin excused himself from the conversation he'd been having with the diver's leader, making his way towards Naru and coming to a halt under the branches of the tree the black-clad teen leant against. Measuring the strength behind the blue-eyed glare, the Chinese man relaxed, bringing an end to their silent duel.

"If we're going to talk, let's not do it here."

The gruff statement caused Naru's lips to twitch into what could almost be called a smile, and he shifted his weight from the rough wooden bark to follow in agreement, more than glad to leave the meddlesome crowd behind.

Climbing into the van in search of a more comfortable environment, Naru was surprised to find that even after discovering the ideal haven (in the form of a secluded cafe) Lin had yet to ask him a single question. Settling down with a much needed caffeine fix, S.P.R.'s director decided to tackle the issue himself.

"Why did you bring me here?"

Not bothering to look up from the newspaper the cafe provided, Lin answered noncommittally, "It seemed like a good idea."

Naru's irritation spiked at the dismissal, eyes narrowing as his grip tightened on the teacup's handle. Deciding to ignore his uncooperative assistant for the time being, the ghost hunter ordered something to eat, gradually managing to calm his frayed nerves in the peaceful atmosphere. Breathing in the soothing sent of tea and allowing the warmth to flow through his being, Naru begrudgingly acknowledged that he was thankful for Lin's impulse, regardless of his ultimate intention.

Noticing the loss of hostility aimed in his general direction, Lin took the opportunity to speak his mind.

"Are you looking forward to going home?"

Taken off guard by the question, Naru had to wonder which 'home' his friend was referring to.

_Maybe that's the point._

"...You want to know if I plan on returning to England when this is over." He stated tonelessly, face devoid of emotion aside from the glint of accusation in his eyes.

"No." Lin amended, "I want to know if you _want _to return to England."

Looking away from his perceptive partner's eyes, Naru felt it was pointless to reply. Whatever advice or criticism Lin planned to offer was lost the moment his phone began to ring, all previous thought forgotten by the time the caller had spoken a single sentence.

Naru watched intently as the older man's eyes widened, his hand hurriedly delving into his jacket pocket to pay for their orders and leaving the waitress a generous tip.

"They've found a skull and a partially revealed ribcage embedded in the lake floor," Lin relayed, confirming Naru's suspicions, "Only time will tell if it's Gene."

-x-

_**Omake:**_

"She's _what_?!"

"You heard me. Ayako's cooking."

"...She'll kill us all."

Ignoring the monk's antics for once, the self-styled miko debated what might be the most satisfying revenge, her red lips curving into a malicious smirk that sent shivers down Takigawa's spine.

Mai grinned up at him, correcting her brother-figure's unwise statement.

"No, she'll only kill _you_."


	9. Leave a Message

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the novels/anime/manga. If I did, I'd be a workaholic.

*WARNING* Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 9: Leave a Message

Hiroto Seigi grimaced at the incomplete skeleton splayed out before him. Dealing with this sort of thing on a daily basis had a tendency to make people lose faith in humanity. He had no idea how his partner managed to wield empathy's double-edged sword and remain optimistic after all they had seen, but Hiroto hoped nothing would ever break her spirit. Though he might never admit it, he found Nakai's positivity refreshing; a stark contrast to his dry scepticism.

"...Judging by the mandible, frontal and occipital profiles, we're looking at a male; probably between fourteen and eighteen years of age." A stern looking woman in her late thirties informed the pair, raising an eyebrow at Hiroto when it looked like he might lean on the folding table behind him. Nakai shot an amused 'You should know better', look in his direction as he hurriedly corrected his posture, but the forensic scientist seemed appeased and returned her attention to the job at hand.

Like most specialists, Chiba Izanami had her quirks, the most prominent of which being a very strict 'no touch' policy. Her sharp observation skills combined with a possessive streak and a strong sense of professional pride meant that if so much as a pen moved a millimetre, the anthropologist _knew_ about it.

"I'd estimate the height to be around one hundred and sixty-five, maybe one-seventy centimetres, but it's hard to be certain without more of the remains." Continued the preoccupied woman, her attention never leaving the puzzle before her, "Lack of soft tissue will make it difficult to pinpoint the time of death, but I'd say he's been down there for at_ least_ eight months, if not well over a year."

"What can you tell us about the injuries?" Nakai ventured, "Could this have been an accident, or are we looking at foul play?"

"Possibly a little of both," Chiba mused, gesturing to the relevant bones as she spoke, "Aside from the fractured skull, crushed ribs and upper humerus, the partial tibia suggests that at least one of the legs suffered similar damage, as well as some form of blunt trauma."

Turning to address the investigators directly, she concluded, "Despite the location of the body, I doubt the deceased died in the lake. It's likely that the victim's legs were struck first, causing him to fall and hit his head before being crushed."

Nodding slowly, Hiroto's gaze met Chiba's in silent agreement. Though his qualifications paled in comparison to the woman in front of him, he had seen enough dead bodies to recognise a plausible pattern in the wounds she had mentioned.

"If I had to guess, I'd say we're looking at some kind of 'hit and run'."

Distracted by his thoughts, Hiroto vaguely registered Nakai thanking the anthropologist for her time, his gaze turning to rest on the men responsible for the body's recovery. The younger of the two was abnormally accomplished for his age, having obtained a doctorate degree by the time he was fifteen. According to his statement, the boy had reported his brother missing roughly two years ago, eventually travelling to Japan in order to search for him.

So far everything had checked out, but while Oliver Davis's actions indicated that he cared deeply for his twin, the investigator was convinced that he and his taciturn guardian were hiding something important from them.

_Nobody hires divers to search for almost a week without being sure there is _something_ to find, no matter how much cash they have to burn._

"I think it's time we had another 'talk' with the boy." Hiroto begrudgingly conceded, not entirely looking forward to the prospect. If he'd thought teenagers were a handful before, then this particular breed of condescending adolescent was a _nightmare_.

With Nakai in tow, Hiroto began to approach the boy and his tall, sombre shadow, ignoring the way his skin prickled underneath the Chinese man's assessing gaze.

There was no sense in putting this off any longer.

"Davis-san, would you mind coming with us for a moment?"

If the black-clad boy was surprised by the request, it didn't show. He barely seemed to acknowledge their presence as they moved away from the noise of the crime scene, his blue eyes focused somewhere far in the distance.

"How long would you have continued to search the lake if a body had not been found?" Hiroto inquired bluntly, not bothering to mince words.

"... For as long as necessary."

The calm, cryptic response wasn't quite the reaction he'd been hoping for, though Nakai's approach seemed to generate more encouraging results.

"What if the body doesn't belong to your brother?"

Oliver Davis's clouded blue gaze cleared slightly and shifted towards them, the expression he wore settling somewhere between irritation and boredom. If Hiroto had to guess what the kid was thinking, it would be something along the lines of, '_I'd continue to search, duh._'

Apparently, Nakai agreed with his general interpretation, a concerned frown wrinkling her brow as she asked, "Are you so sure he won't be found alive?"

"If he were still alive, wouldn't the police have found him by now?" The adolescent countered lazily, hardly bothering to veil the insult.

Hiroto was far from impressed.

"Since you were the one who reported him missing in the first place, I find it suspicious that you seem to have knowledge concerning his whereabouts that we don't." He vocalised, cutting to the chase, "What are you hiding from us? Why search _this_ lake?"

The once distant eyes flashed, meeting the angered officer's gaze with cold justification.

"Instinct."

"…Instinct?" Hiroto echoed, not quite sure how to react to the unexpected response. To his extreme discomfort, the teen sighed, as if he'd never really expected to be understood in the first place, but found the chore of explaining his answer distasteful.

"Are you familiar with many theories concerning the bond between identical twins?"

To the investigator's exasperation, his partner appeared to be seriously considering the teen's argument, nodding slowly at his words.

"Wait a minute," He protested, "Isn't something like that…a little _farfetched_?"

Though Nakai moved to answer, it seemed the boy had grown tired of their conversation and decided it was time to ask a few questions of his own.

"Have you ever fallen in love, Hiroto-san?"

Hiroto blinked in confusion, "…Excuse me? What does that have to do with it?"

Oliver's expression hardened; his tone deadly serious despite the small, patronising smirk he now wore.

"Humour me."

Though the interrogation was rapidly being derailed, Hiroto had expected nothing less. His first impression of the unusual pair currently at the top of his list of suspects suggested that ordinary tactics would be of little use; the fact that the boy was talking _at all_ was probably a bonus.

Cursing inwardly, he weighed the pro's and con's of simply going with the flow, a brief glance at his partner's intrigued expression tipping the scales in chaos's favour.

"Yes…" Hiroto finally admitted, throwing caution to the wind, "Yes, I have."

"Do you have any tangible evidence?" The boy pressed, waiting for the officer's look of mild surprise to turn into realisation before continuing, "The words 'I love you' are merely one of many phrases that may be offered to anyone, as are gifts. Chemical reactions indicating physical attraction can be gauged scientifically, but the emotion itself? Can you prove that 'love' exists?"

Having rendered his interrogators momentarily speechless, Eugene Davis's twin cockily turned to walk away, his dark coat billowing in the breeze as he left them with a parting thought,

"Just because a theory has yet to be proven, doesn't mean it is without truth."

-x-

Sliding the filing cabinet's bottom draw closed, Mai stood and brushed off her skirt, stifling a sizable yawn as she stretched. It had been a long day, and the worrying dream she'd had last night had only served to make it longer. As far as she could tell, it hadn't been one of _those _dreams, but it had felt just a little too realistic for her liking. So realistic in fact, that the first living, breathing person she'd seen upon leaving her apartment that morning had practically moved her to the point of tears.

Mai still felt a little silly about the strength of her reaction considering some of the more frightful things she'd experienced in the last year or so, but when she woke, she was usually surrounded by the concerned faces of her teammates. It was another matter entirely to wake up _alone_.

She'd dreamt of blearily opening her eyes to the sound of her alarm clock and peeling herself out of bed, just like any other morning, getting ready for school and heading out into the street. At first, she'd only wondered idly about the lack of traffic and passing faces, but the further she walked, the more notable the silence surrounding her became. Without seeing a single soul by the time she reached the station, Mai began to panic, whipping out her mobile and phoning through her list of contacts until someone, _anyone _answered.

Every single one of her calls rang out.

She went to her school, friend's houses, the public library – anywhere she could think of that should contain people, eventually collapsing helplessly on what _would_ have been S.P.R.'s front steps, had the office still existed.

Staring at the clearly abandoned building and it's lack of furnishings, Mai ran her fingers over the faded, peeling letters that still adorned the door, accepting the painful truth that had prevented her from coming here sooner. She'd been too afraid of what she might see, too afraid of being stripped of that final shred of hope. If S.P.R. was long gone, then so was Naru. So were Lin, Bou-san, Ayako, Yasuhara, Madoka, Masako and John. The mustard yellow, unassuming office represented everything she had come to treasure so dearly, it was the one link that tied her unorthodox family together. Up until that moment, Mai had never considered how fragile their seemingly 'unbreakable bonds' really were.

Numbly, the auburn-haired girl stumbled towards the only place she had been more afraid to see stripped of life than S.P.R., sinking to the ground in tears when her worst fears were confirmed.

Naru was gone.

_Everyone was gone..._

Slapping the sides of her face with her hands in an attempt to stop from sinking any further into depression, Mai forcefully reminded herself that it was just a dream, but the possibility that Naru might leave and S.P.R. would close down continued to weigh heavily on her mind.

What would she do if he left? Would she follow him to England? Would she wait for him to return? Did he feel as lost and confused about what the future might hold as she did?

Closing her eyes, Mai took a deep breath, pushing aside her fears and blindly putting her trust in the man who had saved her on countless occasions, the man who seemed to be able to do anything he put his mind to, and most importantly, the man who _loved _her.

_Everything will be okay._

Not all changes were bad. The part-timer assured herself that people who cared for her would not cease to do so simply because their lives led them in different directions. Life itself was fragile and unpredictable, but that didn't mean it was better to assume the worst and live in fear. Perhaps the bonds she'd formed throughout her time at S.P.R. would not be so easily broken, after all.

Preparing to leave, Mai performed a routine check of the office, turning off any unnecessary lights before settling down to call Naru, momentarily startled when the phone rang while still in her hand.

"Shibuya Psychic Research," She announced, introducing herself as she readied a pen and paper to take down any necessary information, "How may I help you?"

Silence greeted her, but she ignored the telltale goose-bumps travelling up her arms and tried again, "Hello?"

"...Mai."

The part-timer breathed a sigh of relief, glad to hear her boss's voice, despite the fright he'd given her.

"Lin and I will be coming back tonight."

Elation and dread simultaneously flooded her system at the implications of Naru's statement, her heartbeat thumping loudly in her ears as she whispered, "You've found Gene..."

"Yes." The simple answer was filled with a sense of contentment so strong that Mai felt her eyes well up for the second time that day.

"Dental records confirm it," Naru continued, adding by way of apology, "I didn't want to tell you until we were sure."

Nodding mutely, Mai tried and failed to form some sort of verbal acknowledgement, wondering if now would be a bad time to voice the fears last night's dream had made painfully obvious. Either way, her mouth persisted to rebel against her brain, leaving Naru to draw his own conclusions as he broke the growing silence.

"Call the others and tell them to be at S.P.R. at nine in the morning."

"Wha-" She squeaked, voice cracking as her mouth miraculously regained mobility, "What if they can't make it?"

"Tell them it's a personal matter." He issued firmly; they both knew that curiosity alone would ensure that each of S.P.R.'s irregulars would do everything in their power to be there at nine.

_Even Masako...?_

Given their current circumstances, Mai wasn't so sure. The medium might wish to avoid anything strictly pertaining to business, now that her precarious hold on Naru had been severed.

"What will you..."

The words came out before she had a chance to stop them, but Mai couldn't bring herself to complete the sentence. It was as if voicing her concerns would somehow make them all the more real.

"...Tell them?" Naru supplied, hazarding a guess as to what she had intended to ask, since the news of Gene's discovery appeared to have overwhelmed her. It was understandable, really - so much had happened in such a small amount of time.

Mai's breath hitched in anticipation, clutching the phone tightly to her ear as S.P.R.'s enigmatic leader answered simply, "My name."

-x-

It was dark.

She knew that much, even with her eyes closed. She didn't care if it was early morning or late in the evening, or even what day of the week it was.

Time was irrelevant.

Discarding the doona's warmth in favour of cool, frigid floorboards, Cho's bare feet welcomed the sting; finding a strange kind of solace in the disagreeable sensation as she padded silently down the hall, more out of habit than for any need or specific purpose.

Upon reaching the kitchen, she flicked the kettle on, absently looking inside the fridge for something edible. The milk was understandably out of date, so if she was planning on having a coffee, it would have to be black. Abandoning the idea, she reached into the cupboard for some green tea instead, leaving it next to the burbling kettle as she began skimming through the messages on her answering machine.

The first merely contained the muffled 'clunk' of someone hanging up, but the second was from her mother, which she promptly deleted. One of her workmates had also attempted to call her, advising her to 'relax' and enjoy her time off, along with a bunch of other useless things, followed by yet another muffled clunk and a few concerned and apologetic messages from Kazuo, despite his promise not to bother her.

Losing interest, she turned back towards the kitchen as the last message began to play. At first, the recording held only soft silence, interrupted by the kind of deep breath people often take before delivering bad news.

"_...Cho. We need to talk..."_

-x-

_**Omake:**_

It was dark.

She knew that much, even with her eyes closed. She didn't care who had the nerve to disturb her beauty sleep, but if that phone didn't stop ringing _soon_, there would be hell to pay.

Elbowing her borderline-unconscious companion in the ribs, the fiery redhead swore as the phone's still sleeping owner merely tightened his arms around her in response. There were times when she wondered if the monk had a serious screw loose – why else would he interpret her open aggression as an invitation to be affectionate?

Fighting to disentangle herself, Ayako's fingers finally grasped the phone, wasting no time in giving the persistent caller a piece of her mind.

"Do you have any idea what _time_ it is?!"

Ignoring the irate miko's demand, S.P.R.'s preoccupied part-timer neglected to even notice that it was not Takigawa who had answered the phone.

"I just got a call from Lin," Mai announced hurriedly, launching into a babbled rant about call's being severed mid-sentence, odd behaviour, unanswered phones and stupid narcissists who never bothered to tell anyone where they lived.

A weary groan escaped Ayako's lips, causing the veteran tea-maker's mind to finally register the distinctly feminine voice that had answered her, as opposed to the mumbled grunt she had expected to hear from her surrogate big brother.

"...Ayako? Why did you answer Bou-san's mobile?"

Panicking, the miko stammered out the first believable excuse that came to mind.

"Uh, our phones look alike," She laughed nervously, "They must have been swapped over accidently."

Worried that her colleague might see though the blatant lie, Ayako offered to contact Takigawa on her behalf, even volunteering to help find Lin and Naru's address, just in case Mai tried to argue.

"...Are you sure?"

"Yes, I'm sure." Ayako rebuked obstinately, shaking her head as she bid Mai good bye, promising to meet her at S.P.R. as soon as possible. Thankfully the part-timer had a key, since Naru liked the office kept clean whenever he and Lin were away, and if they were lucky, some of the paperwork at the office might hold their boss's address.

Taking a brief moment to glare at the monk for being completely oblivious to the hassle he'd caused her, Ayako vindictively flicked the main light switch on, pretending to focus on getting dressed as her lover groggily struggled to shield his eyes.

"Wha..?"

"We're meeting Mai at the office." She explained flatly, "Seems like something may have happened to Lin, and he and Naru aren't answering their phones."

The monk nodded, trying to look like he'd understood a word she'd said while instinctively following suit and pulling on a discarded pair of jeans and a t-shirt.

Sometime later, after the trio had united on the cold steps of S.P.R., rummaged through drawers they'd never had dreamed of infiltrating under normal circumstances and navigated their way through the sleepless streets of Shibuya, the monk, miko and latent-psychic stood nervously outside Naru and Lin's luxurious combined apartments.

Overwhelmed by both curiosity and concern, Mai rapped bravely on the door.

A resounding crash answered from inside, shortly followed by what sounded like a muffled yelp and possibly a few choice words before Naru emerged to glare icily at his unexpected visitors.

"...Uh, Naru?" The part-timer stammered, "I got a strange phone call from Lin. Is everything alright?"

Her boss's dark hair stuck out in odd directions, his typically immaculate clothing rumpled beyond anything she had witnessed while on case (and that included the time he had protected her from a falling ceiling).

Sighing tiredly in response, Naru didn't seem to be entirely surprised to see the trio, simply leaving the door open for them to follow as he turned to walk back into the apartment.

"Mai, since you're here, make me some tea."

Instantly bristling at the order, the girl's anxiety dissipated as she trailed after her boss, secretly relieved by his arrogant behaviour. If Naru was acting like his normal, high-and-mighty self, then everything was probably okay.

Upon entering the apartment however, Mai's level of optimism sank. Knocked over shelves lined the hallway, papers and memorabilia scattered haphazardly across the floor.

"What on earth..?" Takigawa exclaimed, clearly surprised by Naru's nonchalant attitude considering the surrounding sea of chaos, "Did Cyclone Tracy visit?"

The two women in front of him suddenly froze, causing the monk to crash into the astonished miko as she mused softly, "...More like 'Cyclone Lin'."

Lin was lying on his side in the middle of the living room, tied to a chair with what looked suspiciously like a phone cord. Gagged with his own tie, the Chinese man was wearing an unusually cheerful expression despite his predicament; his bloodshot eyes roaming their stunned expressions with vacant amusement.

"He's not _possessed_, is he?" Mai asked in disbelief, trying to make sense of the surreal scene. Should she be worried that no one seemed to be taking the situation seriously?

The high-schooler pinched herself, just to make sure this wasn't some kind of bizarre dream.

Naru must have noticed the action, for he arched an eyebrow at her before accepting the inevitable and offering a brief explanation.

"Alcohol doesn't exactly agree with Lin."

"He's drunk?!" Mai burst out, still trying to wrap her mind around the concept, "But I thought he didn't drink..."

"Not usually."

Something about Naru's tone seemed to add, "_This is why_."

Mai also had the sneaking suspicion that he knew exactly who to blame for it, too. (Her money was on Madoka.)

Finally recovering from the shock of seeing the tall, stoic guardian in such a state, Takigawa knew a 'Kodak moment' when he saw it. Yasuhara would _kill _him if he passed up this golden opportunity.

Fishing his mobile out of his jeans, he switched to the camera function and proudly announced, "_This_ one's for Facebook!"

Turning to scold her brother-figure on Lin's behalf, Mai's eyes narrowed in suspicion as she stared openly at her friend's phone.

"...Bou-san, is that your phone?"

He looked at her as if she'd sprouted a second head.

"Yes..." He answered slowly, "Who else would it belong to?"

Mai grinned openly at the rapidly paling miko, "I thought Ayako had a similar model, that's all."

"Are you kidding?" The monk laughed, ruffling her hair, "They look nothing alike!"

* * *

_**A/N: For those who haven't heard of Cyclone Tracy, it was a tropical cyclone which hit Darwin (in the Northern Territory of Australia) during Christmas in 1974. It killed 71 people, destroyed 70% of the buildings, and left roughly half of the city's population homeless.**_

_**On a brighter note, I'm glad I've finally been able to post this chapter, and I'd like to thank all of the people who have been reviewing and encouraging me to keep writing. I cannot stress just how much I appriciate all of your words right now.  
**_


	10. Hell Can Wait

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the novels/anime/manga. If I did, I would have a tough time thinking up new challenges for Naru. (Bloody teenage geniuses ;P)

*WARNING* Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 10: Hell Can Wait

It had all been pointless. Every lie, every nightmare, every forced smile and swallowed fear had done nothing but destroy the life she had tried so fervently to protect.

_How incredibly ironic..._

A ripple of silent laughter reverberated through Cho's hunched shoulders, causing the whispering streets to give the potential disruption a wider berth as morbid amusement spilled from her mouth in coarse, disjointed bursts.

"_Cho...we need to talk..."_

Such a simple phrase had hit her with all the force of a natural disaster, leaving her reeling as she sank to the floor, barely registering the rest of the message or contact number that followed. There was no mistaking the owner of _that _voice, or the painful sound of her replacement's reassuring tones in the background.

"Yutaka..."

What was left to talk about? Divorce papers? Whatever passing illusions she may have previously indulged, not one shred of hope remained.

Emotionally spent, Cho had abandoned the apartment full of memories and nightmares, barely clothing herself before stumbling out into the early hours of the morning.

Like a soulless doll, the broken woman wandered endless trails of concrete, bitumen and dusty rose-coloured pavestones, drowning in a sea of faces as darkness gave way to daylight.

She had nothing left.

Her existence was merely an excuse, a shadow of her former self - 'Cho' had died two years ago, pitched into the dark water along with the body of the blue-eyed boy.

Even now, she could feel his gaze. Across the busy street, his dark form peered down from the window of a mustard-coloured building; watching.

_Waiting..._

He knew she would come to him.

At last, it would all be over.

_It's time..._

She smiled up at her observer in bittersweet relief, finally accepting the inevitable.

_...Time to return what I stole._

-x-

Despite the long drive back to Tokyo the previous night, Lin was up early, correctly anticipating his young employer's impatience to return to S.P.R. True to form, Naru had made a bee-line for the closest source of caffeine and clambered irritably into the van before the stimulant had time to kick in. As soon as the opportunity presented itself, the reclusive teen promptly disappeared into his office to wait for Mai.

_He should really be more honest._

Lin wondered briefly why he hadn't just bypassed the office altogether and simply turned up on the part-timer's doorstep. It wasn't like she would be unhappy to see him.

_...Then again, it could be a matter of restraint._

Allowing a small smirk at his companion's expense, Lin made a mental note to make himself scarce as soon as S.P.R.'s irregular crew had finished chewing their boss out for leaving them in the dark for so long. He hazarded that the miko would probably be the only member of the team to be _truly_ surprised to hear that the name 'Kazuya Shibuya' was entirely fictional.

Takigawa's adoration for the renowned Oliver Davis dampened considerably after the troublesome teen had rashly unleashed his true potential. No matter how you looked at it, there couldn't be _too_ many people in the world so ridiculously over-powered that their lives hung in the balance.

If the monk suspected something was up, it wouldn't be long before Yasuhara caught wind of it (provided his inquisitive nature hadn't been in play from the beginning), but Lin couldn't help thinking _John_ could be the dark horse in the equation. Considering his expansive knowledge of Oliver's work, it wasn't entirely impossible that the innocuous priest might be the one to tip off the other two.

Matsuzaki, on the other hand, wasn't the type to lose sleep over whatever conspiracy theories the others might concoct. If she had known, the fiery priestess would have confronted both Naru and himself in a heartbeat.

While the miko might begrudgingly discern that he probably had a reason for hiding his identity from the general public, he was _dating _Mai, and the woman would never forgive either of them if she thought the girl was being deceived.

Immersed in thought and the familiar ritual of case files, e-mails and research, Lin's fingers moved deftly across computer keys, oblivious to the tightening threads of fate guiding it's pawns along their inevitable collision course.

With all the subtlety of a loaded gun, a sickening screech erupted from the street below, the grating crash that followed punctuated by two doors slamming dramatically from within S.P.R.

_Naru...?_

Bewildered and disorientated, Lin automatically ran towards the disturbance, fear gripping his heart as he noticed several large cracks snaking their way through the front door's tinted window.

Aside from Gene, there was only one person who could elicit such an explosive response from behind Naru's self-assured indifference.

_Mai..._

-x-

Today was _the _day.

The day Naru would reveal the true purpose of 'Shibuya Psychic Research', and possibly it's future. All of S.P.R.'s crew would soon be assembled, overflowing with anticipation at the nature of their enigmatic employer's 'personal matter', and Mai mentally prepared herself for the onslaught of questions that were bound to be asked the moment Naru was out of sight.

Swallowing her nerves, the auburn-haired girl strutted purposefully down the path of pale-pink pavers, forcing a smile on her face.

_Worrying won't change anything._

S.P.R.'s fate might even be beyond Naru's control; he had a life and a family waiting in England, after all. The most Mai could do right now was cross her fingers and hope for the best.

Drawing closer to her destination, the part-timer couldn't help but notice a growing sense of agitation on the busy street; those around her drawing close to each other in hushed whispers, sneaking suspicious glances behind them as they hurried to vacate the area.

_What's going on?_

Pressing forward, the origin of the commotion stood at the edge of the road, seemingly unperturbed by the gossiping bystanders clearly avoiding her.

_...Is she alright?_

The estranged woman reminded Mai of a puppet whose strings had been cut. If it weren't for her relatively large audience, the part-timer might have suspected the fair-haired female of being a ghost.

_She just feels so...empty._

For a moment, the stranger relaxed, deceptively calm as her single step forward brought time to a crashing halt.

Someone screamed.

Tyres squealed.

Mai would never remember moving; only the feel of her fingers closing around the blonde's flesh and the all-consuming silence which followed. Darkness reached out and swallowed her whole, replacing reality's chaotic tune with another, deceptively simple lullaby.

_Hands heavy with disappointment gathered up an empty plate, covering a second untouched meal and placing it in the fridge. _

_There was no use waiting up for him..._

_The familiar creak of their bedroom door, soft footfalls..._

_Lips pressed softly against her forehead in silent apology._

Lingering sensations of cool cutlery, tangled sheets and unspoken tenderness invaded Mai's senses; countless images blurring and distorting as they fought for dominance within her mind. Each mutilated memory dragged the young psychic deeper into the abyss, her consciousness struggling to stay afloat in the sea of foreign emotions.

_He seems unusually happy, so she is happy._

_His kisses are no longer apologetic, but full of passion._

_Everything is perfect._

...Too _perfect._

_Don't be ridiculous, he would never..._

_A strange scent?_

_The scent of another woman..._

_Who is she? Do they work together? Why has he never mentioned her?_

_Is _she _the reason he has been so happy?_

_...She is afraid to ask._

This was not her life.

Amid the turbulence of the visions, Mai remained aware of this, despite the blade that twisted cruelly in her heart with every harboured suspicion. Unable to escape the sordid nightmare, she watched in dismay, helpless to alter the woman's past.

_Another 'business' trip..._

_Another doubt._

_Smile fixed firmly in place, she holds her tongue and kisses him goodbye. Even if she asks for details, he will just evade them..._

_Just like he is avoiding her gaze._

_No, she won't ask..._

_Not until she's sure._

Why was she being shown this? Could Gene be guiding her, or was this uncharted territory? She'd wondered once, if he influenced all of her 'dreams', but Mai suspected that even if she _had _thought to ask, the enigmatic ghost wouldn't have given her a straight answer.

Her options were limited. Wake up (so far no success on that front), wait it out, or whip out the metaphorical magnifying glass, keeping her eyes peeled for clues and an amicable teen in black.

Dread pooled in the pit of her stomach, but Mai did what she felt she must, and allowed her consciousness to be swept along with the dream.

_Pale hands clenched tightly at the steering wheel, the silence of the night drowned by the pounding of her breaking heart. It had been stupid, following him to the hotel like this, but the point of no return had long since past._

_Tears fell freely as she hung her head, the shock of betrayal pumping frozen blood through numb veins, tingling like the lingering sting of a torn off bandaid._

_It was too much. There really _was _another woman..._

_Even though she'd doubted him, even though she'd followed him, somewhere deep down she thought..._

_...It didn't matter what she'd thought._

_Not anymore._

_Suppressing the urge to vomit, trembling hands fumbled with the ignition, fuelled with the simple need to escape. To pick a direction and follow it - anywhere was fine._

_...Anywhere but _here_._

_Disbelief and self loathing found their release in angry outbursts as she fled, violently striking out at invisible demons. How could he do this? He loved her! _

_It was that woman's fault._

_All her fault..._

_It _had_ to be, because she couldn't bring herself to hate him._

_A fresh wave of tears blinded her, burning their way across raw skin, taut with dried salt and despair. _

_How pathetic; the person she despised most was herself..._

_Through misted vision, a dark form flashed before her; the bundle of black flung over her car's bonnet before thumping unceremoniously to the ground._

_Muscles jarred, tyres screeched. Fingers fought release from her seatbelt and scrabbled for the door handle as she all but fell from the vehicle._

_**No...**_

_The smell of blood assaulted her senses; so strong she could taste it..._

_**NO!**_

_Nothing seemed real..._

_The crumpled body was so still; a lifeless plaything discarded on the floor of a child's room..._

_**Don't show me this!**_

_Blank blue eyes looked straight through her, silent and condemning._

_**...Gene...**_

-x-

_**Omake:**_

Someone screamed.

Tyres squealed.

Mai would never remember moving; only the feel of her fingers closing around flesh and the all-consuming silence which followed. Darkness reached out and swallowed her whole, replacing reality's chaotic tune with another, deceptively simple lullaby.

"_...Never gonna give you up_

_Never gonna let you down_

_Never gonna run around and desert you..."_

* * *

**AN: Also do not own 'Never Gonna Give You Up' by Rick Astley ;)**

**Just like to say, I am _so_ sorry for making you guys wait so long for this chapter. Thank you for your continued encouragement, and a special thank you to Kyia Star and Sarah, without whom this update might have occurred sometime next year.  
**


	11. Grave Secrets

Disclaimer: I do not own Ghost Hunt, or any of the characters from the novels/anime/manga. If I did, Mai simply accepting that 'oh, I must love Gene' thing would NEVER have happened. Seriously, she picks _that _time to decide that Naru is always right? You know, because she's "_never_" argued with him _before_...

Sorry, Fuyumi Ono - I love your story, but I couldn't disagree more.

*WARNING* Contains Spoilers.

Chapter 11: Grave Secrets

Confused and disorientated, Cho's first bewildered thought was, 'why didn't throwing oneself into oncoming traffic hurt more'.

_Falling..._

She remembered falling. Landing hadn't been quite so kind – she could still feel the dull ache seeping deeper into her bones, only subdued by the throbbing beat of her pulse.

_I'm still alive..._

_...But how?_

Faint pressure encircling her forearm drew Cho's attention to a young girl, sprawled unnaturally across the footpath. Though blood congealed in her auburn hair as it slowly dyed the pink pavers crimson, her motionless fingers were not without a pulse as they clung stubbornly to their captive.

_She tried to _save_ me?_

A hollow trickle of laughter threatened to choke her in disbelief. How pointless.

_...Some people are beyond saving._

In spite of herself, a pained smile whispered across Cho's features as she looked down at her well-meaning, albeit it short-lived saviour.

_If only I could have been more like you._

If two years ago, in that fateful moment, she had put a stranger's well being before her own; how might things have changed? Even if all she did was call an ambulance, perhaps _both_ her victim and marriage might have survived. Knowing then what she knew now, Cho would have swallowed her pride and confessed her fears to Yutaka, not stalked him from the shadows and continually jumped to conclusions. None of this would have happened if she had simply trusted her husband enough to be honest with him.

But no, she had taken her life in her own hands and crushed it. There was no point in running from her fate. She _deserved _it.

She had failed to appease the blue-eyed boy, and now he thundered towards her like death himself, black coat billowing angrily in his wake. The air grew heavy in her lungs as he drew closer, his dark form inspiring new levels of terror with every step.

While she couldn't tear her eyes away from the apparition, his piercing gaze seemed to look through her, no _beyond _her, Cho corrected; a different kind of fear gripping her heart.

_The girl...!_

Cho watched in horror as her suspicions were confirmed. The vengeful spirit strode past, never sparing her a second glance, cold eyes fixed on the innocent soul who had foolishly interfered with his prey.

_Please..._

_Not the girl..._

She begged in silence, hands clenching and unclenching anxiously. Anger seemed to roll off the relentless ghost in almost visible waves, the simple brush of the hem of his coat sending a jolt of electric current through her.

Kneeling down before the defenceless teen, the haunting figure stretched out a single, pale hand.

-x-

For someone who had shot through school, consistently stretching his teacher's capacities beyond their limits, Naru's mind was unnaturally blank. A single, hollow thought the only sound louder than the blood rushing madly in his ears.

_No..._

_Not again._

His heart dropped out of his chest as he witnessed Mai's reckless lunge from his office window. If he didn't know her so well, he would have wondered what the hell she was thinking.

She _wasn't _thinking. Mai saw people in trouble and reacted, which more often than not caused _him _to react – something which could prove hazardous for all concerned.

Bad things happened when Naru was not in control, and one of those 'bad things' was currently snaking its way through the letters in the glass of S.P.R.'s front door; the angry cracks growing more pronounced as it swung carelessly closed behind him.

He didn't need to call Lin. The Chinese mage would be on his heels soon enough, with or without encouragement. Completely aside from the man's convenient aptitude for anticipating his whims, duty demanded Lin keep his employer out of trouble, and while the quiet guardian was not always successful in his attempts to avoid hospital visits, it wasn't for a lack of trying.

This time it was Mai who urgently needed medical treatment, but Naru knew he wouldn't be far behind if he didn't reign in his emotions. He could feel his power swell with every step, begging for release as he swept down S.P.R.'s stairs and into the disaster area. Though neither Mai nor the woman she saved had been hit in the accident (if something so deliberate could be called an 'accident'), oncoming cars had slammed on their brakes, causing those who failed to do so to crash into the rears of those who had. Curious onlookers gathered around the scene as angry drivers stumbled from vehicles; mobile phone users wasting no time in notifying emergency services', uploading pictures on 'facebook' and changing their status updates.

Naru ignored the chaos, swiftly striding towards his goal.

_Mai..._

What had caused her to collapse? Aside from striking the ground as she fell, nothing had touched her; Mai's body had simply gone limp the moment she came into contact with the woman's arm.

Had a vision caught her off guard? It was unusual for Mai's latent abilities to surface while off case, but her talent was hardly the type to play by the rules.

Biting back a curse at the small pool of blood that had formed beneath her head, Naru knelt by her side, reaching out to confirm her vital signs. To his surprise and aggravation, the cause of Mai's predicament had the impertinence to interfere.

"D-don't touch her!" The stranger spat, stammering despite her defiance.

The air around him crackled as Naru spun to face the petrified obstruction, blue eyes flashing dangerously as his powers slipped and inadvertently took out a nearby street lamp. Though he had previously overlooked the suicidal woman, being far too preoccupied to fathom or care for her reasons, the black-clad genius had hardly failed to notice the way she had been staring at him, nor the strange moment earlier, when her eyes seemed to seek him out, offering up a sad smile before calmly calling forth the surrounding mayhem.

There was something uncomfortably familiar about the look of abject terror on the blonde woman's face as she pled with him, rambling wildly.

"...She didn't know who she was saving..."

He'd seen her last Saturday, on the way back from the book store. For some reason, she'd seemed familiar then, too. Naru's eyes narrowed, recalling the way she had disappeared - he'd dismissed the encounter at the time, but was quickly regretting the decision.

"...If she knew, she wouldn't have stopped me."

Unease gripped his senses as yet another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

He _knew _that voice.

He'd spoken to her only yesterday.

_Cho Sasaki..._

Kazuo Hayashi's sister, who had been acting strangely for the previous _two years_, yet no one had felt it necessary to intervene until the events of the _last week_.

The sister who was so terrified of the ghost she believed was haunting her that she had forgone sleep for several days, but had lied blatantly when he had called to make inquiries.

_Hiding something..._

_Trying to clean her hands in her sleep..._

_Scared of _him_, but smiled at death._

Naru's blood ran cold.

Living in fear had aged her; fine lines and dark circles marring her face, now gaunt and pale. In an attempt to avoid being recognised, she had both dyed and drastically changed the style of her hair since the first time he'd seen her.

It might have worked if Cho's own reaction to him hadn't given her away.

"I'm the one you want," She whimpered, withering under his frozen gaze, "Not the girl..."

-x-

_Blood..._

_There was so much blood._

_Mai wept, screaming for her hands to stop, unsure if it was the woman in her vision or herself that was dry-retching at her actions. _

_She knew it was the past._

_She knew she couldn't change it._

_Whether it was possible or not was irrelevant. The battered body she was stuffing in the boot of an all-too-familiar car wasn't faceless! It was bad enough reliving Gene's death from under the wheels, but to be drenched in his blood, feeling the emotions of his murderer..._

_It was too much to bear._

_The tender blue eyes that softened when he smiled now stared blankly back at her, relentless and condemning. _

"_I'm sorry..." Mai choked through tears as his face was covered and the boot closed, hiding his lifeless form from view. She was still crying when the car reached the lake; whispering numbly into the darkness as she watched his body disappear into the depths, the horrific dream beginning to fade._

"_I'm sorry I couldn't save you."_

She awoke to pain.

Physically and emotionally drained, Mai's head stung and her throat ached with grief, but her blurred hands no longer bore the stain of innocent blood.

_Gene..._

How many times did she have to watch him die?

She wondered how often Naru had relived the sickening scene; how many times the vision he'd seen disturbed his thoughts and dreams. Looking up through her fingers, she was reminded of the expression he had shown during the Urado case, when she'd ignorantly challenged him, asking if he knew what it felt like to die.

Naru's eyes were far too much like Gene's vacant stare had been, detached and void of life, as if his soul had been ripped from his still-breathing body. While he knelt before her, his face was fixed on the woman she had saved; the woman who had murdered his brother.

_He knows._

Though she had done everything short of getting surgery to alter her appearance, the woman's face spoke volumes. After all, how was she to know that her victim had an identical twin?

A twin that mourned the loss of his brother by wearing his clothes...

Mai wondered momentarily if Naru had actually _planned _this in some way, in the hope that Gene's killer might reveal themselves by freaking out at the sight of him; but even if he _had_ foreseen the remote possibility, nothing had prepared him for coming face to face with the person responsible.

Bitterly, Mai could now see why she had reacted so badly to Hayashi-san when she had first seen him.

_Family resemblance..._

Self disgust overcame her as Mai realised that this was the second time she'd tried to help this woman.

_Death is too good for you._

"_Confess_," She growled, the guttural sound drawing the immediate attention of the two in front of her, but she ignored Naru and spoke only to Cho. If Mai was correct in her assumption that Cho believed he was Gene's ghost, then hopefully that would only make this easier.

"His family deserves to know the truth."

Cho's already pale, panicked face turned white.

"You..." She queried in disbelief, "Can _see _him?"

Mai turned to look directly at Naru as she spoke; hoping he would understand what she was doing, and play along. At the spark of relief she saw in his gaze, Mai let go of the breath she'd been holding and conceded carefully, "Yes. I can see him."

As she turned back to the woman, the look on her face firmly communicated one thing:

_I also know how he died._

Appropriately shaken, Cho concluded quietly, "You're a psychic."

Though Mai had mentally tried to escape that particular label due to the significance it lent to her dreams, it was the truth, and Mai did her best to channel her 'inner Masako' to not play down her abilities or dismiss the claim.

Opting to simply nod in response, she tried to push the hate she felt for the woman aside, knowing it would not help her accomplish her goal. While Naru may not care if he was accused of his brother's murder, _Mai _certainly did, and her heart screamed for justice.

"Even in death, he will continue to haunt you."

It wasn't a lie. If Cho's spirit was unable to move on, she would continue to torment herself with the past, like so many other ghosts Mai had seen during her time at S.P.R.

_Live with your mistakes._

That was the punishment Cho deserved, not an easy death. Even if her damned soul was unable to rest, Mai couldn't allow her to take her secret to the grave.

"Confess," She repeated, beginning to feel light-headed, "Ease his spirit, so he can move on."

Cho hesitated, but Mai cut her off before she could protest.

"It's true." She stated with a level of composure she did not possess, "You may go to prison. You may lose the man you love," Mai agreed, clinging to consciousness as she echoed the woman's unspoken fears, "But as long as you're alive there is hope. Ending your life this way would only cause more suffering."

Naru must have noticed her struggle, for much to Mai's dismay and presumably Lin's disapproval, he allowed his power to fluctuate, the atmosphere sparking dramatically around him as he straightened to his full height, drawing Cho's attention to his intimidating form. Making his voice as harsh as possible, he pointed to an approaching police officer (presumably tasked with sorting out the commotion), and rasped out a single order.

"Atone."

One small push was all it took.

Cho fled, tripping as she scrambled towards her salvation, more afraid of the ghost than whatever predictable consequences might await her actions if she followed his demands.

Satisfied that Naru's name would be cleared and too exhausted to fight the growing fogginess in her head, Mai lay back to welcome the oncoming darkness.

For Gene's sake, she hoped her benevolent guardian hadn't _actually _been haunting her...

-x-

_**Omake:**_

"...You'll be fine if I leave early, right?"

Unease gripped his senses as yet another piece of the puzzle fell into place.

He _knew _that voice.

Mai only used it when she was scheming something.

_Shopping..._

_...With _Madoka.

_And wanted him out of the way?_

Naru's blood ran cold.

"...And what are you shopping _for_, precisely?"

He was willing to lay good money on it being his couch. He knew Mai didn't like it, but she'd agreed to let it go...hadn't she?

Suddenly Naru wasn't sure anymore.

His girlfriend was suspiciously silent; her lips pouting in apparent concentration as she tried to look absorbed in her work and pretended not to have heard him.

_Oh no, not _this _time._

She wouldn't distract him with her suggestive lips...

"Mai, _tell me_ my couch will still be there when I get home."

She looked impishly up at him, not even trying to look innocent.

"...Do you have to hear those words _exactly_?"


End file.
